History
RAN was inaugurated in August 1982 after an international seminar on reading hosted by the Institute of Education of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. RAN, a non-governmental, non-profit making organization has, since 1982, organized conferences and workshops in various parts of Nigeria.
RAN has also collaborated with various bodies to promote literacy development in Nigeria. Some of such bodies include:
- Heinemann, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Commission, and the International Reading Association in publishing reading and instructional materials;
- The Plateau State Ministry of Education and the State Broadcasting Corporation in airing some of the scripts produced by RAN for Radio;
- Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC Nigeria), Shell South Africa and READ Educational Trust of South Africa in organizing Train - the - Trainer Workshops reaching out to some Primary Schools across Nigeria.
- UNICEF in organizing workshops on basic literacy acquisition skills for primary school teachers.
RAN has also actively participated in workshops organized by the Universal Basic Education Commission; has played an active role in the development of a National Library Blue Print for Nigerian Universal Basic Education schools as well as the recommendation of appropriate text-books for use in such schools.
Affiliation with the International Reading Association
The International Reading Association is a non-profit membership-based organization dedicated to the promotion of literacy worldwide. It has many affiliate bodies in America and many other countries of the world. RAN was affiliated to IRA in 1984.
The Association is guided by five goals: professional development, advocacy, partnerships, research database, and emerging global issues. Many RAN members have benefited immensely from the IRA professional development programs
Partnership with the Global Literacy Project, Inc. ("Culture of Reading" Campaign)
The Global Literacy Project, Inc. is a non-profit and tax-exempt [501 C (3)] organization committed to fostering community-based literacy initiatives throughout the world. Illiteracy, as a cause and effect of poverty, reinforces long-term underdevelopment in many countries.
GLP is involved in donating comprehensive, integrated reading systems especially chosen to create a systematic reading program for pilot primary and secondary school students in selected Nigerian schools.
Working with RAN, the Global Literacy Project aims to foster a “Culture of Reading” that will:
- Encourage the creation of avid, lifelong readers who read widely and who value a global variety of literatures and languages.
- Create stakeholders at national, provincial, regional and local levels, that vigorously promotes the value of reading.
- Support an education system that integrates reading at the core of the curriculum, at all levels, and encourages reading for pleasure and lifelong learning.
- Foster a flourishing writing and publishing industry to support the heightened demand for books and other reading materials from the education sector and from the general public.
- Create a strong school and community library network backed by an equitable book distribution system that allows everyone access to a wide range of reading material, regardless of economic status or geographical location.
