I applaud the move to make July 30 National Reading Day, in line with nationwide efforts to inculcate good reading habits, especially from a young age ("Big push to kindle love of reading"; April 12).

But more can be done to encourage more people to read.

Despite efforts to shift our education system from one that is exam-oriented to one that emphasises holism, the mindset that the key to success lies in learning what is within the syllabus remains. In the process, reading is often cast aside as "unnecessary" and "irrelevant".

Hence, discussions about the importance of reading should be held within classrooms, across the student body and among schools.

A thorough understanding of the importance of reading will spur students to pursue it.

Schools can build a culture of reading and learning beyond the syllabus by having mass reading sessions before the flag-raising ceremony in the morning.

It is imperative that students capitalise on reading resources in libraries, and set aside time to read with those around us.

Hopefully, future examinations will include a project-based component to encourage students to look beyond textbook knowledge and explore issues that intrigue them.

Faith Angeline Yeh, 15,

Secondary 4 student