Bookworm urges schools to embrace extracurricular activities to develop pupils’ talents

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bookworm, Nelson Kofi Poku, has urged parents and teachers to encourage children to participate in extracurricular activities to help them develop their talents and improve their chances of accessing educational opportunities. He said academic performance in the classroom alone was no longer sufficient to prepare children for the opportunities available in an increasingly competitive world.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Bookworm Greater Accra Season 13 grand finale on Saturday, October 24, Mr Poku said educational competitions and other public activities provided platforms for children to demonstrate their abilities and attract opportunities beyond the classroom. “We are living in a society where your performance in the classroom alone is not enough to excel,” he said.

He encouraged parents and teachers to expose children to activities that would build their confidence, improve their communication skills and enable them to showcase their abilities. Mr Poku cited the example of a female student from Keta in the Volta Region who, according to him, made history by reaching the final stage of a National Science and Maths Quiz competition, an achievement that helped her secure an opportunity to continue her education abroad.

He said such opportunities demonstrated the importance of allowing children to participate in competitions that could open doors to further education and personal development. “Parents and teachers should adapt this kind of learning and enrol children in public activities. By so doing, society will begin to know what the children have and what they can offer,” he said.

Bookworm expands educational competition Mr Poku said Bookworm, which has operated for nearly a decade, had expanded its activities to about 10 regions across the country. He disclosed that the Greater Accra competition began with approximately 74 schools, with 33 qualifying for the grand finale. The competition, held on October 24, featured three categories: lower primary, upper primary and junior high school (JHS), with winners to be crowned in each division.

He said the Greater Accra event was the third regional finale organised by the programme in October, following competitions in the Eastern Region on October 10 and the Ashanti Region on October 16. According to him, Bookworm remains open to pupils from both public and private schools, providing an opportunity for children from different educational backgrounds to participate.

He described the participation of public schools as encouraging, noting that the programme was designed to accommodate all interested pupils. “We open our hands to all students. Anyone who develops an interest in joining the programme is welcome. We take them through the process, and we do it together,” he said. Scholarships, laptops and international exposure Mr Poku said Bookworm had introduced incentives to reward outstanding participants and motivate children to improve their academic and personal development.

He explained that winners receive 50 per cent scholarships for one year, while ultimate winners are also presented with laptops. Additionally, sponsors support selected top performers to undertake trips to Dubai, covering 50 per cent of the cost, with the level of support varying according to their positions in the competition. He said the international exposure was intended to broaden the children’s perspectives and introduce them to opportunities and experiences beyond Ghana.

Mr Poku added that corporate partners, including Trillium Industry, Choco and Floral Tissue, also provide souvenirs and other items for participants and winners. Beyond reading and comprehension The Bookworm CEO said the competition was designed to develop a broad range of skills rather than focus solely on reading. He explained that participants undergo several stages, including storytelling, summarising passages and answering comprehension questions.

Another segment, known as Knowing Your Parents, is designed to strengthen relationships between children and their parents by helping them understand their family backgrounds, preferences and behaviour. Mr Poku said the segment was introduced to encourage parents to spend more time with their children and strengthen family bonds. He expressed confidence that the different activities would help participants develop critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills while building their confidence.

He said Bookworm would continue to provide platforms through which children could discover their strengths, demonstrate their abilities and prepare for future opportunities.