More than 700 students of Kiunga Secondary School in the North Fly District of Western Province have been encouraged to read more books to improve both their oral and written communication skills. During the school’s National Book Week celebration held on August 8th, 2025, students were reminded that books play a crucial role in learning, as they are a vital part of literature that educates and empowers. To mark the 45th anniversary of National Book Week, the school organized a range of educational and creative activities aligned with the theme, “Reading our past and transforming our future.” These included a character parade, riddles, quizzes, spelling bee, poetry recitals, essay writing, and a debate. Students actively participated in these events, showcasing their talents in indoor activities that inspired them to read more. The experience aimed to help them expand their thinking capacity and gain a deeper appreciation for literature. Speaking at the event, the school’s Head of English Department, Ms. Joanne Vaninara, motivated students by highlighting the benefits of reading. “I discourage you to hold onto your phone most of the time. Book is the one that makes or gives you a lot of English vocabulary.” “It will help you write well and speak fluently. Let’s continue to read books as it has the power to transform our lives.” She further emphasized that books are the store of knowledge and it is a powerful tool for learning, entertainment and personal development. Classes continued as normal during the morning, after which students spent the rest of the day participating in Book Week celebrations, demonstrating the educational and personal value of reading. Meanwhile, Head Boy Kiapin Heron, also shared his thoughts on how students can develop their English language skills. “The society that we live in also contributes to how we speak and write. If we live in community that speak English, we can speak fluently and write well.” “We students are happy to celebrate in this National Book Week so that we can continue to learn more new things.” To recognize student participation, awards were presented to representatives from Grades nine to twelve who excelled in classroom activities like the spelling bee, poster creation, and debate. As the school nears the end of the term, the administration reminded students, particularly those in Grades ten and twelve, to take care of their well-being during the upcoming holiday. These students are preparing for their national examinations, scheduled for October 6th to 17th this year.