The National Library of Nigeria (NLN) has urged the Federal Government to prioritise the funding for education to promote reading culture among students.

The Head of NLN, Enugu State, Mrs Rachel Neboh, made the call during the 2024 World Book and Copyright Day, organised by the Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC) held at NLN, Enugu on Tuesday with the theme “Read Your Way”.

World Book and Copyright Day is a special day set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to celebrate writers, authors and publishers, to promote the enjoyment of books and reading.

The event was attended by some primary school pupils in Enugu, teachers and parents.

Neboh, a Deputy Director, said the funding became necessary to address the issue of overcrowded classrooms and to employ more qualified teachers that would encourage students to devote more time to their studies than they spent on social media.

She observed that some schools had about 50 pupils to one teacher, making the class to be overcrowded.

She called for increased government investment in education to improve learning and ensure access to qualitative education for all.

She also urged parents to prioritise buying books for their children, emphasising the importance of cultivating a reading culture among them.

“Books are very important and the essence of living is reading. Like somebody will say, when you stop reading, you start dying.

“So, we are here to celebrate authors for their contributions to cultural educational progress, among others.

“Read your way to success, breakthrough and beyond the four walls of the classroom. Don’t limit yourself in reading as you can read anything you can for fun, entertainment and knowledge,” she advised.