Dear Readers, Please check out our new Opinion Poll on singing the national anthem in education institutions, and cast your vote by the end of November 2014. As you know …

your opinion counts

Our October 2014 poll was about getting students to read beyond the curriculum:

Reading books for entertainment is essential for a good education and all students should be required to read more and beyond the curriculum.

• I agree. It is vital that children be made to read widely, as it helps develop young minds and counterbalances unhealthy over exposure to the electronic media. (86%, 31 Votes)

• I disagree. When we force children to read books that they have no interest in or don’t like, we put them off reading for life. (14%, 5 Votes)

Total Voters: 36

A large majority of those who responded to this poll (86%) felt that making children read beyond the curriculum is essential to their development. These respondents believe that when children read widely outside of the prescribed curriculum it helps expand their minds and also counters unhealthy exposure to the electronic media. In contrast, a mere 14% of the respondents felt that forcing children to read books that they have no interest in puts them off reading for life.