TERRIBLE OF INDONESIAN READING INTEREST

 Pict. Nur Nazmi M. Pd.

As we know, reading habit becomes a big issue in Indonesia. As data statistic from UNISCO that Indonesia reading interest is 0,001 persen. It means that from 1000 people, only 1 person that like reading. Of course it is bad news. “Reading interest in Indonesia is very low, and some people can’t build the reading habits to enhance the quality of human source,” said Nur Nazmi S. Pd., M. Pd, a lecturer in STKIP Bima and also care with this issue. As a person who wrestles in education world, Nur really feels pity to what happens in our country of having low interest reading. If we compare our reading interest with neighbor countries, it’s really far different. It’s terrible!

In your opinion, how is the Indonesian reading interest? 

Yeah, I think our reading habit in our country is very low. If I’m not mistaken our country is in second-last rank. It’s really poor if we compare with other countries that have develop because of their reading interest. Then can spend many book in a week, but we maybe just read one or may be never read in a week. Because of reading, we can get much knowledge.

Do you know why most people have low reading interest?

In my opinion maybe they have less interested in reading because when they were child, their parents did not give the example to their children to build reading habits to them. some of parents often let children watch TV than to have to bother to train the habit of reading that may be initiated by read books, so the children more familiar with the TV on in the book. There are other factors also that affect their low interest in reading such as environment in school and also the developing of technology that makes them prefer read status social media than read book.

When you were child, did you like reading? Or did you make it as your hobby?

When I was child, I also didn’t like reading. I only read book when I have homework from school, but at that time also, I was rather like reading comic. I did not make reading as my habits. But, when I studied in University, It forced me to read a lot. From here I like reading until now.

Is reading important for the people?

Of course it is really important for every people. From reading we get many knowledge, we can open large our mind so our mind will not limit. Someone who is diligent reading can know many things and can do anything. Often reading also can affect their skill and ability. By reading, at least it can enhance the quality of human source in Indonesia. So that’s way reading is really important in our life.

We can see someone like reading or not from their book collection. Do you have many books collection in your home?

Yes, I have mini library in my house. There is one big cupboard that full of books. Most of my books are about sociology because my major is sociology. Others are Islamic books and some novels and any kind of science and technology. I bought many books when I took master degree in UNS because in Solo the books are cheaper than in Bima so I bought many books there.

You are a lecturer, aren’t you? Do you build reading habit to your students? As we know that some of students seldom reading books because of lazyness.

Yes, of course I build their reading habits by giving tasks that force them to have many reading in book or internet. Moreover the last semester, they should read a lot books to get many references or their thesis.

Do you have any trick or how to make the people like reading and make it become their habit related to this? 

I think we can build the habits reading as early as possible such as the parents give the example of reading, so their children can imitate their parents. Then make a mini library in our home, we can buy book little by little for example buying one or two books in a month. We can give them motivation about reading by asking them for reading for pleasure. It can also raise their interest in reading.

What are your hope or the Indonesian people and also the governments for future?

I just hope the Indonesian people can build reading habits because reading is really important for our future. The government can facilitate the people by building a region library and school library especially for the people that have less access for the library and also distribute the free book for the students. Hopefully, our reading interest in Indonesia can improve the rank of our country and we also can compete with other countries of science and technology.

From this, we can conclude that Indonesia cannot develop quickly because of some factors that the people underestimate it, like reading activity. Even though this is the small thing but it can give big impact to themselves even the country if we have reading habit. From Nur Nazmi’s explanation, that we should build motivation of reading because reading, so we can open the world’s window.

Posted by Wafiroh Diana 

English for Journalism