One country's novel national campaign seeks to encourage people to read more.
Singapore is encouraging people to pick up a book with ReadSG, a new national reading campaign designed to get people reading for at least 15 minutes a day.
The five-year campaign, launched by Singapore's National Library Board (NLB) in September 2026, uses small financial rewards to encourage people to develop regular reading habits.
Through the ReadSG Challenge, participants can log a reading session of at least 15 minutes using the CrowdTaskSG platform.
This scheme won't make readers rich, though. Each session can earn readers 20 virtual coins, with 1,000 coins (which would take 50 days to acquire) equivalent to S$1. Only one session can be counted each day, meaning someone who reads for 15 minutes every day for a full year would earn roughly S$7.30.
Why Is Singapore Doing This?
Singapore isn't struggling with basic literacy. The country performs strongly in international reading assessments, and an NLB survey found that 89% of adults read more than once a week. However, only 28% reported reading books. This has highlighted a gap between consuming information and spending time with books, which the program seeks to bridge.
Loh Chin Ee from the country's National Institute of Education told CNN in an interview:
For somebody who reads a lot, 15 minutes might feel very short, but I think it is a nice, sweet spot. What has happened is that many people still do read when you talk about reading words on a screen. But the kind of deep reading, spending time and being committed to reading may occur less often.
In the same interview, it was reasoned that the program is also meant to combat shrinking attention spans and reading habits. Educators are also believed to be struggling to battle "doomscrolling" and "brain rot".
Singapore is effectively trying to make reading easy, add some gamification elements, track it, and see whether small rewards can encourage people to stick with the habit.
It's Not Just About Money
In the long term, Singapore aims to build a "nation of readers" and "make reading more accessible and relevant to Singaporeans at different life stages, and to create more opportunities for reading to become part of everyday life."
The NLB added that they will be working with partners across the country's government, community, and other sectors.
ReadSG also includes Read for Good, which connects reading activity with fundraising for community organisations. That means that participants, through their reading, can contribute to a charitable goal while developing their own reading habits.