Students Have Stopped Reading, Writing – Ngamdy

Dianah Ngamdy, founder of Stark Pages Literary Students’ Initiative, a non-profit organisation, has raised concerns over students’ declining interest in reading and writing.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday during a sensitisation programme for secondary school students, Ngamdy emphasised the urgent need to revive literary engagement among young learners.

To address this issue, Ngamdy announced that her organisation had launched a writing competition for secondary school students nationwide, inviting entries in prose and poetry.

“Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners, along with corresponding prizes for their schools, after a rigorous screening process,” she stated.

She further revealed that the top 50 submissions would be published in an anthology featuring a photobook with the bios of each selected student.

“This is our first edition, but we plan to continue this initiative, creating multiple volumes of student submissions in the future,” she added.

Ngamdy shared that her inspiration came from Poetry London, which has published over 129 volumes of submissions.

“I realised that secondary school students are at a stage where their creative abilities are flourishing, but they need the right guidance before they lose sight of it,” she explained.

She stressed the importance of nurturing young writers before transitioning to university, where distractions might hinder their literary pursuits.

“We want to catch them young and help them see the opportunities in writing. Our goal is not to divert them from their chosen careers but to show them that writing can coexist with any profession,” she said.

Ngamdy encouraged students to explore their literary talents, emphasising that writing is not limited to specific career paths.

“Whether you’re a doctor, lawyer, or accountant, you can still be a writer,” she noted.

While acknowledging that some students still write, Ngamdy urged stakeholders to create an environment that fosters a reading and writing culture.

“There are a few students still writing. If we encourage them, they’ll keep at it, and over time, this small literary community will grow,” she concluded.

The Stark Pages Literary Students’ Initiative is set to continue its workshops and coaching sessions in secondary schools across Nigeria to revive literary culture among young learners.