Reading is fundamental, says everyone

Not all good things get picked up ‘naturally’ simply resting on the sheer goodness that they portray. Such a thing is the culture of reading, and specifically here in the country.

So to say, the good culture of reading is easily promoted and endorsed in schools starting from primary years to the late college days. Bhutanese generally understand the weight of urgency in this matter and ensuing benefits that stretch across the long term. Parents advice and guide their children accordingly to stress on the importance of adopting a reading habit early on and to diligently nurture the practice in the years to come.

Here’s the paradox at the heart of things - with all the positive attitude in plenty, with all the support it receives from government and household seniors, it is still struggling to become the champion cult it is to become (supposedly).

For one, and quite visibly, the fast-evolving net-age developments the quick access and exciting gadgets and gizmos have surely dampened the enthusiasm for every minds young and old from favoring the good reading practices.

However, all hope is not abandoned by everyone, as institutions both government and private stay doggedly determined in upholding the culture, education departments are consistently up in arms to defend this noble culture from the invasions newly-approaching everyday from the instant conveniences of internet while battling long and hard to ingrain the culture in the midst of competition already in action from these new age, World Wide Web venues.

A big boost toward this initiative has come from His Majesty the King, when the whole of 2015 was declared as the National Reading year. This was done to encourage students to read.

Speaking to a gathering of 10,000 students in the capital His Majesty the King highlighted the need to read, and to read not only during the year, but beyond.

"You must read about everything around you- not just subjects that interest you. You must learn about current events, history, science, culture and people around the world- the pursuit of knowledge must be life-long," His Majesty said.

The cause is a win-win as everybody is pushing for it pushing in the common direction. Parents, seniors in most households remain educated to promote such a force to ease into life, to be armed with knowledge, knowledge that comes from reading.

Hopefully after trailing on the words of His Majesty, parents everybody besides the students will come together in pitching their bids to achieve what reading achieves – which is, nothing but good.

Bhutan is heavily-youth in population and if every member of this flock can nurture and carry on a reading habit, maybe even a reading revolution, it will stand to become a true gift to His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo in commemoration of his 60th birth anniversary for whom the reading year is dedicated.

Published as Editorial for Business Bhutan on December 13, 2014