ABBOTTABAD: Books were distributed among students affected by natural disasters at Government Primary School Langra, Abbottabad, in collaboration with the National Book Foundation (NBF), with speakers stressing the importance of reading opportunities in educational institutions.
Assistant Commissioner Havelian Usama Khan attended the ceremony as chief guest on the special directions of Hazara Division Commissioner Shahidullah Khan. Representatives of the National Book Foundation, Dr Sadiq Foundation, school administration, teachers, parents and local community members also participated.
Commissioner Hazara Shahidullah Khan said providing children with quality education along with access to books and reading opportunities was important for their intellectual development and a brighter future. He said schools should not only provide curriculum-based education but also help develop children’s personalities, creativity and thinking abilities.
Assistant Commissioner Havelian Usama Khan highlighted the important role of parents in children’s education and upbringing. He said parental attention, guidance and encouragement could have a lasting impact on children’s future.
Usama Khan thanked the National Book Foundation for providing books to students of Government Primary School Langra. He also appreciated the collaboration among the National Book Foundation, DSF and CSP for supporting children’s education and promoting reading.
Representing the National Book Foundation, Dr Shehla Saeed said the organisation was established under the National Book Foundation Act, 1972, with the objective of providing books at affordable prices and promoting reading among students and the general public.
She said publishing, translating and distributing books, encouraging authors and promoting the spread of knowledge were among the key functions of the National Book Foundation. She added that an endowment fund provided by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in 1998 was being used to provide books to deserving students.
Dr Shehla Saeed said that under the directions of NBF Managing Director Dr Kamran Jahangir, books were also being distributed this year among students affected by natural disasters. She said the National Book Foundation, in collaboration with DSF and CSP, was supporting deserving students in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
She said a book does more than provide information. It gives children an opportunity to think, understand, ask questions and see the world from new perspectives. Good books, she added, play an important role in children’s intellectual, educational and creative development.
Dr Sadiq Foundation Chief Executive Officer Fajar Rabia Pasha said providing books to children in Langra through collaboration with the National Book Foundation was a positive initiative. She said children affected by natural disasters and difficult circumstances needed support from institutions and different sections of society to continue their education.
Dr Waheed said ensuring continuity of education for children affected by difficult circumstances was a collective responsibility. He said initiatives that provide books to children could help connect them with reading, learning and knowledge.
The ceremony concluded with the distribution of National Book Foundation books among the students. School officials, teachers, parents and community members appreciated the initiative and expressed their commitment to continuing support for children’s educational needs and the promotion of reading.
