KUCHING: Youth today, particularly future educators, are encouraged to cultivate reading as a daily habit.
Board Member of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Datuk Dr. Jeniri Amir said that this is because educators are role models for the younger generation, therefore reading culture must be ingrained in their daily lives.
“An educator must set an exemplary example for their students, as well as the surrounding community, because through reading, educators can share knowledge with their students,” he said.
He said this in his speech during the closing ceremony of Institut Pendidikan Guru (IPG) Malaysia’s National Language Month at TAZA Auditorium, IPG Batu Lintang Campus here on Friday.
Earlier, Jeniri who is also the Senior Fellow of the National Council of Professors said that today’s youth are also more inclined to surf the internet, reading gossip on unbeneficial websites rather than reading books, newspapers, or scholarly magazines.
“Whereas it is clearly evident that the benefits of reading can expand vocabulary, provide motivation, and add value to an individual.
“In fact, our generation, educated through conventional information channels, believes there is no better feeling than holding and flipping through pages of a book compared to a tablet or laptop,” he said.
He added that the phenomenon of a declining reading habit among the millennial generation is deeply saddening and could lead to disruptions in learning at school and university levels.
“The reading culture among today’s youth is alarming as it is diminishing and nearly disappearing.
“This is because they now prefer gadgets, new media, video games, and social networking apps through smartphones, and are active on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, ChatGPT, TikTok, and others,” he said.
