Africa-Press – Gambia. Gambia will organise a national reading competition slated to take place on 1st December at Motherland, organisers announced recently.
The upcoming “Read Gambia Read-A-Thon 2025” is expected to bring together students from senior secondary schools, colleges, and universities in a bid to revitalise the country’s reading culture.
At a press conference held ahead of the event, founder Modou Lamin Almusaf Sowe said the Read-A-Thon was inspired by concerns that, despite Gambia’s strong reputation for peace, hospitality, and growing educational achievements, the country continues to lag in global reading standards.
He noted that The Gambia has never participated in any international reading competition, a situation he described as a “worrying gap” for a country striving to strengthen its human capital. Sowe urged stronger collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to ensure Gambian readers can compete on global platforms. “We have solid education policies and great potential, but reading remains one of our weakest areas,” he said.
Read-A-Thon Secretary Jamilatou Jallow said the initiative was designed to fill that long-standing void by building excitement and national pride around reading. She explained that the competition will feature young people aged 16 to 30, who will battle for top prizes and the opportunity to represent The Gambia in an upcoming Guinness World Record reading challenge.
According to her, organisers have already engaged 32 schools across the Kombo area, with more expected to join before the competition day. She emphasised that the event is not only a contest, but a national call to improve literacy.
Jallow highlighted that the country’s literacy levels, based on UNESCO’s latest estimates, stand at about 60 percent, with a sharp disparity between genders. Male literacy is estimated at 75 percent, while female literacy remains around 50 percent, reflecting a significant gap in access and learning outcomes. “These numbers show how much work remains to be done,” she said.
She added that although transitional reading levels show promising signs, with rates around 53 percent, the overall national reading culture still requires a sustained push.
Organisers say the Read-A-Thon will serve as a launchpad for a broader movement aimed at encouraging young Gambians to read more, compete more, and place the country on the global literacy map.
The December 1 event is expected to gather hundreds of participants, teachers, and supporters as The Gambia takes a decisive step toward strengthening its reading tradition.
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