Minister for Education and Employment Owen Bonnici together with Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sports and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima participated in the Footballers Read and Write Programme Challenge, organised by the National Literacy Agency. During this visit, the minister met with the participants at the Santa Venera football ground and completed the five football related skills challenges.
Minister Bonnici explained that, “The Footballers Read and Write Programme encourages reluctant readers and writers to improve their literacy skills through football and sports related activities. It has been a great pleasure to meet these children today and to hear them praise such initiatives because they are instilling in them a love for books. I encourage anyone interested in joining this initiative and encourage their peers to participate in the fun as well. I thank the Agency for continuously seeking to promote a greater appreciation for reading and writing among children and young adults through fun and engaging programmes and initiatives that promote literacy through sport”.
Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations Clifton Grima thanked all coaches and educators for their efforts to make this program a success. He stated that this is a clear example of how one can ensure our children learn with interesting and enjoyable, yet effective system. He added that reading and sport go hand in hand, and that balance is necessary.
Dr Grima highlighted that the Maltese educational system focuses on children’s holistic development. Thus, such programmes are necessary to ingrain the necessary elements in our children that will help them to develop in the long run.
To further inspire budding readers and writers and urge our youngsters to be more active, especially during this particular time, the Agency Sports Literacy Leaders – Gilbert Agius, Carmel Busuttil, and Saviour Darmanin – have created a set of football related challenges for our online followers through the programme Facebook page ‘Bil-Qari u l-Kitba Niskorja/Footballers Read and Write Programme’.
To this end, the Agency extended this challenge to parents/guardians whose children were born in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and wished to participate.
All participants were given a book, a certificate of accomplishment and other goodies, while those who managed to complete the challenge were awarded two books and a ball signed by the three footballers.
Following the opening of schools, the Agency will be accepting applications from pupils who wish to participate in this challenge after school.
Those who wish further information on this initiative may visit the Facebook page ‘Bil-Qari u l-Kitba Niskorja/Footballers Read and Write Programme’ or call 2598 3324.
