Tinjauan: Pelajar sekolah menengah semakin kurang membaca

Berita Harian noted that according to a 2021 study by NIE on the reading habits of Singapore teenagers, teenagers were reading less, and more were not reading at all as they grew older and had to juggle more demands on their time. Overall, 64.1% of students said they enjoyed reading, though their enjoyment declined as they got older, with a large dip from Sec 1 to Sec 2. The NIE researchers who led this study, Associate Professor Loh Chin Ee, deputy head for research at NIE’s English Language and Literature Department, and Dr Sun Baoqi, a research scientist from the Centre for Research in Child Development, said the drop in reading enjoyment was an indicator that the love of reading is something that had to be continually nurtured even as kids grew older. 
 
Possible reasons for the overall dip in reading time as well as enjoyment include distractions from devices or increased workload and activities in secondary school. According to the study, it was not always true that teens do not read because they are busy using their smartphones. Avid readers used their smartphones to read comics or webtoons, discussion forums and news articles. Dr Sun noted this was an important finding as it highlighted the fact that technology amplified reading habits and opened a wider world to those who read. It was vital to nurture a love of reading before children get their own phones. 

Source: Berita Harian © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction