Date: 2012-04-02

The Vice Chancellor, Kwara State University (KWASU), Professor AbdulRasheed Na' Allah last Wednesday taught students of various secondary schools during a programme jointly organized, by Iqra Books Nigeria Limited, Plat Technologies Limited and Queen Elizabeth School (QES), llorin.

The programme which held at QES hall, with the theme "Read with me, Read for life, Read to lead" was attended by students of Community Secondary School Baboko, Government Day Secondary School (CDSS) Adewole, Government Day Secondary School (GDSS) Oko-Erin and the students of host school, QES, llorin.

The VC who was the guest reader at the occasion voluntarily led the participating students in the reading of a book titled "Arms and The Man" written by Bernard Shaw during a class session that took him more than three hours.

Speaking earlier before the reading session, the Vice Chancellor described the programme as one of the potent tools to promote reading and literary culture among the secondary school students.

He applauded the organizers for deeming it fit to come up with such an educative programme which according to him was aimed at catching the children young.

"What we read is what we become and what we aspire to be, because reading helps to create imagination that is beyond us. The greater people in life are those that read well" the VC added.

In her address, the Principal of QES, Alhaja Memunat Ayinla said reading culture is completely dead in schools nowadays and thanked the management of Plat Technologies Limited and Iqra Books Nigeria Limited for partnering with her school to set a new standard for the younger generation.

Ayinla described the presence of the KWASU Vice Chancellor at the programme as an inspiration to the students which she said will continue to rekindle the interest of the students in their academic pursuit.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of Iqra Books Nigeria Limited, Mallam Abdullateef Abdussalam said the programme was aimed at connecting secondary school students with notable figures in the society to enable them intensify efforts in their education.

Abdullateef stated that Iqra Books is an Ilorin-based books seller and distributor that offers online book services.

Also in his remarks, the MD of Plat Technologies Limited, Engr. Taofik Abdulkareem said that the programme would be a continuous exercise adding that An-Sarul-Islam Secondary School, Ilorin, will play host to the programme next month.

It was a great opportunity to the participating students to have had the caliber of such a don in their midst as their lecturer. The VC visibly brought himself down to the standard of the students and gave them a step-by-step method of impacting knowledge in young caps.

Unlike in tertiary institutions where students are lectured, Professor Na'Allah did not lecture the students but apparently taught them with systematic explanation on the book read. Students were asked to pinpoint certain are as of interest and significance and they all impressed the VC with their responses.

Highlights of the occasion included the presentation of merit certificates to members of Readers' Club of Queen Elizabeth School, reading of both English and Yoruba poems among others.