The United Kingdom’s Education Secretary has said he believes schoolchildren need to read much more. The Telegraph reports that Michael Gove has suggested kids in the latter years of primary school and throughout secondary school should aim to be reading a novel each week to improve literacy standards across the board.
Mr Gove made his comments after a visit to a charter school in Harlem. The Infinity School, one of 99 in the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) charter school network, is ranked highest in New York despite the disdavantaged socio-demographic backgrounds of its students. The school expects its students to read a book a week.
In a highly-regarded OECD report released in December, the UK was ranked 20th among OECD member countries for education across the board. It ranked 25th in reading. Australia was ranked 6th, behind Japan, New Zealand, Canada and Finland, with South Korea top of the class.
The Wheeler Centre and the State Library of Victoria will be hosting the Children’s Book Festival on 3 April.