Google upscales app to encourage reading among children amid school closure

Google, US multinational technology company, says it has upgraded Read Along, its speech-based reading app, to encourage reading among children.

Mojolaoluwa Aderemi-Makinde, its head of brand & reputation in Sub Saharan Africa, said the move was part of the organisation’s efforts to commemorate this year’s International Literacy Day (ILD).

According the search giant, such initiative has become imperative considering the fact that many schools have been shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Google is taking the education journey back to the basics by providing a digital platform that will make learning to read simpler and fun especially in the light of COVID-19 related school closures,” Aderemi-Makinde said in a statement.

“At Google, we believe technology can help children around the world learn how to read to help achieve the goal of basic universal literacy.”

The organisation added that the app, previously known as Bolo, has been upgraded to ensure children can now read anytime and anywhere.

It added that the app now includes several unique features such as increase in the numbers of books which are available across nine languages, including Arabic.

Google also revealed that the app works offline after its initial download on low cost phones, making it more accessible and relieving worries of privacy and security.