In the era of short videos, reels, and constant scrolling, as people's interest in books declines, the Singaporean government has made a significant decision. To restore the reading habit, the country has introduced a unique approach by offering citizens digital coins and cash for reading books.
The goal of this five-year campaign is not only to raise the population's education level but also to bring people back from the fast world of screens to the habit of deep reflection and contemplation.
In today's media landscape, where short clips and videos lead to reduced concentration ability in people, the small Southeast Asian nation, Singapore, has launched a program for its citizens. The Singaporean government pays money for reading to protect the next generation from 'brain rot' and 'doomscrolling' (constantly viewing negative content on social media).
The National Library Board (NLB) initiated a five-year National Reading Plan. Under this plan, people are awarded digital coins and monetary rewards for logging their reading time on an official portal.
A reader will be paid S$1 (US$0.8) for reading for at least 15 minutes daily for 50 days. For reading more than 15 minutes, the reader receives 20 virtual coins. When 1000 coins accumulate, the reader receives $1. It is important to note that only one session per day counts.
The NLB aims to complete 7.5 million minutes of reading within this campaign, with the proceeds of S$150,000 being donated to charity.
Melissa Tam, head of the National Library, emphasized that while short content (reels and shorts) can provide quick information, reading long books strengthens concentration, critical thinking, and imagination. The goal is to create a society of readers who are rational, deeply thoughtful, and capable of understanding a complex world.
Experts note that although this scheme may not make anyone rich overnight, it is an excellent way to bring people back to books through gamification (attraction via points and rewards).
Global studies show that the increasing penetration of digital devices in classrooms leads to the disappearance of the habit of deep reading among youth worldwide. A significant decline in reading scores among 15-year-olds was recently recorded in the US. Researcher Loh Chin Yi of the Singapore National Institute of Education argues that people continue to read words on screens, but the culture of deep immersion in a topic is being lost. Young people often distance themselves from books due to preparation for major exams and the hustle associated with work.
New discussions have started around this program in Singapore. Psychology specialists and some critics believe that love for books cannot be induced using financial incentives. They argue that people might stop reading again after the monetary rewards cease. However, social media content creators and young readers counter that this is much better than listening to loud noise from advertisements and reels on the subway or buses, risking missing their stop.