We need to create physical and virtual libraries everywhere
The work of governments and ngos over the past two decades has certainly helped millions of children, all first-generation learners, get into school and take their first steps towards reading. However, for a vast majority, there is almost nothing joyful or interesting for them to practise their newfound skills on. The children of our elite classes have access to books from around the world, but kids learning in their own languages have precious little children’s literature to choose from.
The result is there for all to see, when survey after survey laments that one in two Class V children in India cannot read a passage fluently in any language.