A literacy software ‘Scholastic Literacy Pro’ to aid students and individuals read well and understand their own competencies for reading growth and motivation has been launched in Ghana. It is expected that the software will help pupils, students, corporate entities and individuals to enhance their reading skills while promoting lifelong learning among citizens of the country.
The Regional Manager of Scholastic Literacy Pro, Mrs. Joyce Agyare, while speaking at the launch in Accra, explained that the software was a powerful reading assessment programme with the ability to set a person on a journey of self-discovery and advancement.
“The programme is browser-based and assesses a person’s reading comprehension using the Lexile framework. When a person logs on, they take a comprehension test that measures their reading ability based on how they answer the questions.
Each user experience is different based on ability and reading speed, but typically within 30-40 minutes the test is done and the reading score is instantly generated. The mark or score shows how well they understand what they read. The programme goes ahead to produce a customised list of titles that are consistent with the reading level of the person,” she said.
Noting that many Ghanaians lacked interest in reading, Mrs. Agyare stressed that reasons, why they are not interested in reading, is because their experience with reading is not a pleasurable nor empowering one, and that is why there is a need for Ghanaians to access the Scholastic Literacy Pro software to solve that problem. The software is accessible at the Ghana Library Authority at a cost of GH₵60 and it could be subscribed yearly, she directed.
Mrs Agyare called on the Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and other corporate bodies to partner her outfit in nurturing and promoting a culture of reading in the country, while also urging parents to subscribe their wards to the software in order to nurture them through reading for future opportunities, noting that the poorest countries in the world read the least.
