The academic cost of growing up without a reading culture at home

Building readers beyond school
Schools have an important responsibility in developing reading culture, but they cannot carry the entire burden alone. The home remains one of the most influential environments in which children develop attitudes towards books and learning.

Parents do not need to be professional readers or own expensive libraries to make a difference. A simple routine in which a child reads for a few minutes each day can gradually establish reading as part of normal life. What matters is consistency and encouragement.

Reading aloud can also be valuable, particularly for younger children. When parents read stories to children, they expose them to vocabulary, sentence structures and ideas while helping them associate books with attention and emotional connection. As children grow older, parents can encourage them to choose materials that match their interests.

This is important because forcing every child to read the same type of book can make reading feel like punishment. A child fascinated by football may become interested through sports biographies or match reports. Another who enjoys science may prefer books about space or technology. A child interested in stories may begin with fiction.

The goal is to create readers first and gradually expand their interests.

Parents should also avoid turning every reading session into a test. Asking children questions can encourage comprehension, but constantly demanding summaries or treating every book as an examination may remove the pleasure that encourages voluntary reading.

Reading for pleasure has value precisely because it allows children to experience books beyond academic requirements. When children discover that reading can make them laugh, satisfy curiosity or transport them into unfamiliar worlds, they are more likely to return to it voluntarily.

Schools can reinforce this culture through libraries, reading clubs, book discussions and classroom activities that allow students to talk about what they have read. Teachers can also recommend materials that connect with students’ interests rather than presenting reading solely as preparation for examinations.

In Nigeria, this effort also needs to consider access. Not every family can afford to purchase numerous books, and some communities have limited access to well-equipped libraries. This means that building a reading culture cannot simply be reduced to telling parents to “buy more books”.

Schools, local governments, libraries, community organisations and education-focused organisations all have roles to play in improving access to appropriate reading materials. Digital resources can also help where internet access and devices are available, although digital access itself remains unequal.

The home environment can make a difference even when resources are limited. Parents can encourage children to read newspapers, age-appropriate magazines, borrowed books and other available materials. Older siblings can read with younger children, while families can create small reading routines that do not require significant financial investment.

Another important step is allowing children to see reading as something adults value. When parents complain that children spend too much time on their phones but rarely demonstrate alternative activities, the message can become less convincing. A child who regularly sees adults reading is more likely to regard reading as a normal part of life.

Parents should also recognise that academic performance is not the only reason to encourage reading. Reading develops knowledge, imagination and language while helping children encounter experiences beyond their immediate surroundings. These benefits eventually feed back into academic learning because students who can understand language, follow complex ideas and engage with information are better equipped to learn across subjects.

The responsibility therefore extends beyond simply producing children who can pass examinations. It is about raising young people who can continue learning independently.
Conclusion
A strong reading culture at home may seem like a small part of a child’s education, but its influence can extend into almost every area of academic life. Regular reading can strengthen vocabulary, comprehension, writing, concentration and the ability to engage with complex information. In contrast, children who grow up with little exposure to reading may encounter difficulties that become more serious as academic demands increase.

However, the solution is not to blame parents or assume that every struggling reader comes from a home that does not value education. Families face different financial, cultural and practical realities, while some children also experience difficulties that require specialised educational support. What matters is recognising that reading habits are shaped by environments, opportunities and encouragement.

For Nigerian families and schools, creating a reading culture should therefore be treated as a long-term educational investment rather than an extra activity. A child who reads regularly is not merely learning how to pronounce words or answer comprehension questions. That child is developing the ability to understand ideas, follow arguments, imagine possibilities and learn independently.

School can teach a child how to read, but home can help determine whether reading becomes a lifelong habit. And when that habit is missing, the academic cost may not always appear immediately, but it can become increasingly difficult to ignore as the child moves from one level of education to another.