Singapore launched a novel five-year national campaign to nurture reading habits
7 hours ago
- Singapore launched a five-year national campaign to encourage reading by paying citizens small amounts for logging reading minutes on a government website.
- The gamification strategy uses a points system: 15 minutes of reading earns 20 virtual coins, and 1,000 coins are needed for a SG$1 reward, with a maximum of one session per day.
- Officials aim to counter 'brain rot' and doomscrolling by promoting long-form reading, which they say strengthens attention, critical thinking, and imagination.
- Global reading scores show US 15-year-olds have declined, while Singapore and other Asian nations perform well, but Singaporean students may lose reading habits when preparing for major exams.
- The pilot phase runs until end of 2025, with plans for enhancements based on feedback, and includes a charity drive targeting 7.5 million reading minutes to raise up to SG$150,000.
- The scheme has sparked debate, with supporters like Charmaine Lim and Ashley Chia praising the nudge toward habit formation, while critics question whether cash can cultivate intrinsic motivation.
- Research suggests monetary rewards may reduce natural motivation once the reward stops, but Singapore's history of successful national campaigns offers hope for the initiative.