World book day: Heritage Bank promotes reading culture in schools

In its continuous drive to remain at the forefront of engendering educational learning amongst young Nigerians, Heritage Bank Plc joined in celebrating the “World Book Day” by means of implementing one of its literacy initiatives and donation of books to schools.

The bank has decided to lend its support to the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading in its 20th year, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world for children of all ages to come together to appreciate reading.

However, as part of effort to inculcate the culture of reading books amongst children, Heritage Bank donated a total of 16,340 comic books, dispatched to 84 schools via Experience Centers, while investing in exciting edutainment activities for school communities.

The bank recently launched, “The protector’s” a comic series book to commemorate Children’s day. The super-heroes of the series, HK-1 and HK-2 will be touring schools this year to win allies to fight against the evil Gus D Ville.

Also, other activities involve the first inter school quiz commenced in last year December, with 20 winners emerging from various schools.

The Financial Literacy Holiday Workshop, as the highlights of the workshop to mark the maiden edition, which include financial literacy coaching presentation skills, creative writing, practical sessions, movie outing and other exciting treats.

According to the bank, in a statement made available by the Group Head, Corporate Communications, Fela Ibidapo, Heritage Bank has continued to support education and as well encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have books of their own.

Meanwhile, he stressed that it was important schools inculcate reading culture in order to drive financial literacy into the mainstream curriculum or as an extra-curricular club to ensure that we raise a generation of financially well informed citizens for a dynamic economy.

He explained that the goal of the Financial Literacy program is to secure the future and empower the Nigerian child and youth to make informed decisions about finances and wealth creation so they can take action to improve their present and long-term financial well-being.

He listed some of the mitigating reading culture and the current Nigeria’s educational sector as limited use of technology and visual aids in the teaching process and negligence to develop critical parent-teacher synergy that would be well aligned with today’s (and tomorrow’s) goals and offers an extended range of services for both  its students and its community.

Fela, however, stressed that financial education is a key success indicator for socio-economic development, adding that the bank believes in empowering the youth with requisite skills to make solid financial decisions in adult years.