\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJakarta (ANTARA) – Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Fajar Riza Ul Haq has called on Indonesian parents to actively instill a reading culture in children from an early age, emphasizing its importance in shaping character, literacy, and the quality of future generations.<\/p>\n
Speaking in Bandung, West Java, on Friday during a promotional event for the Indonesian Book Information System (SIBI) and a book discussion session, Haq noted the growing influence of “scroll culture”.<\/p>\n
He defined scroll culture as the habit of endlessly scrolling through digital content, which poses a challenge to instilling a reading habit in children.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren today prefer short videos and quick reads, while only 20-25 percent of Indonesians enjoy reading. That means just one in five people like reading. This is a major challenge we must address together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
To counter the effects of scroll culture, he explained that the Ministry is promoting deep learning approaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cDeep learning is not about the number of books read, but about understanding content, connecting it to real-life situations, and developing critical thinking and imagination. This is how to handle scroll culture amidst the flood of non-educational content,\u201d Haq explained.<\/p>\n
He added that the Ministry remains committed to strengthening literacy through access to quality books and the use of the SIBI platform, which provides curated, safe, and relevant textbooks and non-textbooks.<\/p>\n
Although e-books offer convenience, Haq highlighted the continued importance of printed books.<\/p>\n
\u201cResearch shows that reading comprehension is often better with printed materials. Combining both printed and digital formats is important to fostering deep learning,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He encouraged families to take part in instilling a reading culture in children at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s make reading a daily habit, just one page or chapter at home. A love for books is a love for knowledge,” he concluded.<\/p>\n
Related news: Perpusnas urges local libraries to innovate to increase reading habit<\/a><\/p>\n Related news: Quality reading books improve children’s literacy competency: Ministry<\/a><\/p>\n