Katikkiro roots for culture of early childhood reading 

Oftentimes, kindergarten learners spend their school time playing, socialising, and reciting the alphabet, but in a groundbreaking initiative spearheaded by Edmond Ssemugisha Safali, equipping young learners with reading skills as well as understanding their culture has played a significant role in their development, writes GEOFREY SERUGO.

In the fast-growing Kampala outskirts of Seguku-Katale lies Imara kindergarten, which is run by Safali.

“When we started kindergarten, we wanted to be a standout school. To not be just another school where, as a parent, you just dump your child and say to yourself, ‘I will just pick him or her after school.’

We envisioned a complete young learner, one that has had the reading culture in them ignited, and they want to know more about their surroundings,” he says.

“We believe that all children can learn. We promote learning through inquiry, leadership, the development of tolerance, intercultural understanding, and citizenship.”

On July 26, 2023, Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga officially launched the reading club at the school. Mayiga noted that, whereas many parents bide their time before enrolling children in school, inculcating an early reading culture in a child is beneficial for their cognition.

Mayiga, who took time to take the learners through a storybook, added that the negative attitude towards reading many Ugandans have holds the progress of the country.

“Reading is the backbone of critical thinking. It’s a known scientific fact that reading stimulates the brain and allows a person to think analytically. When a child is actively engaged in reading, they gain different perspectives, ask questions, identify patterns, and make connections,” he said.

“It connects them to the world in a way that challenges what they have been assuming is reality, and that effort to reconcile what they have previously held as true and what reading opens their mind to sparks critical thinking.”

It is on this premise that Safali believes training young learners in reading will enhance their learning experience.

“Everyone who has gone through school has a favourite piece of literature they remember. Actually, from even the youngest age, they engaged in reading stories like Gipir and Labongo, stories from the Nile English Course, etc. That shows you how much of an impact reading has on us,” he says.

Safali has already laid down strategies to ensure that parents, teachers, and mentors actively participate in reading sessions at the school.

“Parents do their part in paying fees. So, we can’t make them pay fees and also teach. But we always encourage them to take a few minutes and follow up at home. Ask your child to read you a simple passage and monitor. We also have class days where teachers, parents, and learners all meet to monitor this progress. In so doing, we have a robust structure that allows everyone to play their role to ensure the child turns out
successful,” he says.

In fact, Safali notes that his approach is not just a trial-and-error experiment but is based on research that shows that art, music, drama, and gross motor skill activities contribute to widening the mental capacity of young learners.

“This is a very well-researched topic, and information is available for all to see. Art enhances brain function by impacting brain wave patterns, emotions, and the nervous system. Art can also raise serotonin levels. These benefits don’t just come from making art; they also occur from experiencing art. If you notice, the earliest education in playgroup and baby class is usually through art,” he says.

“Draw mom and daddy, shading, singing, etc. This is because of the profound ability of art to open up the brain to learning. So, we take art very
seriously.”

Generally, Uganda faces various challenges in its education system, particularly in the curriculum of secondary schools and tertiary institutions, but Safali believes most of the challenges can be addressed through early childhood learning innovations to create a positive impact.

In fact, Safali is already focused on partnerships with other educational institutions and organisations to promote the concept of early childhood
reading culture in Uganda. To achieve this, Safali says he has heavily invested in reading materials and books that are culturally relevant.

“Relevance is easy to spot. We see it in every aspect of our lives—which courses have better job opportunities, which disciplines have a competitive advantage, among others,” he says.

Looking ahead, Safali plans to groom a complete learner.

“That is our aim. We take education seriously. We take reading seriously. A person who can read and write to express themselves is a force of nature. We shall grow our reading culture and constantly add to our stock of relevant literature to ensure that our learners benefit from it. We are open to collaborating with other institutions that promote reading, and we hope it indeed spreads to other institutions.”