Manifest against reading loss.

Manifest against reading loss.

Libraries have to close and more people are illiterate. In the fight against reading decline, the Reading Coalition, made up of organizations from the education field, presented a manifesto today. The wish is an active and inclusive reading policy, where reading pleasure plays an essential role.

Language and text are less firmly rooted in our society than hoped. About 2.5 million people in our country have insufficient reading skills. The Reading Coalition states: ‘Large groups of children do not keep up well at school. They fall behind early. In all population groups in the Netherlands, the ability to read deeply and focused is decreasing.’ Therefore, the need to act clearly comes from the manifest. ‘We are on a slippery slope and only active and firmly founded reading policy can turn the tide.’ To achieve that, the coalition calls on ministers Arie Slob (Education) and Ingrid van Engelshoven (Culture) to work on an active and inclusive reading policy. To prevent the reading skills of Dutch people from going further down.

Ambitions

According to the reading coalition, there are quite a few initiatives. But there is a lack of ‘a sense of urgency, coherence in reading policy and cooperation in government’. The coalition says good reading skills are a basic need. And that can only be maintained if the government ‘brings back the sense of urgency to read in education’. Therefore, ‘strong investments and decisiveness are needed’. The goal is that every student leaves school with an acceptable reading level. The manifest aims for broad cooperation. Further, the following ambitions are in the manifest:

1. Every student leaves school with a sufficient reading level. Focus on groups that lag behind most: boys, students in vmbo and mbo, young people with a migration background.
2. All teachers and teaching assistants are well equipped to give good and motivating reading education; pedagogical staff know how to work to promote reading. Reading skills and reading pleasure are central.
3. The art of reading is everyone’s concern and needs structural attention from the cabinet, parliament, regional and local governments, employers, unions and all people who carry responsibilities for others.

Read the full manifest with all ambitions and goals.

Partnership Tailored Education

The Reading Coalition is a Partnership Tailored Education between Stichting Lezen, Stichting CPNB, Stichting Lezen en Schrijven, Literatuurmuseum/Kinderboekenmuseum, the Koninklijke Bibliotheek, the Vereniging van Openbare Bibliotheken and the Nederlands Letterenfonds.

The manifest is further supported by the PO-Raad, the VO-Raad, the Taalunie, the Schrijverscentrale, De Schoolschrijver, KNAW, SLO, Ouders & Onderwijs, LAKS, the Nederlands Centrum Jeugdgezondheid and the SER.