Singapore launches five-year program rewarding citizens for daily reading

Singapore's National Library Board has rolled out a five-year ReadSG programme encouraging citizens to read for a minimum of 15 minutes daily. Users can log their reading time on a dedicated website or mobile app, receiving 20 virtual coins for each qualifying session; accumulating 1,000 coins equals one US dollar. Campaign materials compare the time needed to the interval between three MRT stops or a coffee break, emphasizing that small habits add up to larger benefits.

Melissa Tam, chief of the National Library Board, said the goal is to strengthen attention, critical thinking and imagination through long-form reading. Loh Chin Ee of the National Institute of Education highlighted the gamified approach as a sweet spot for habit formation, noting that while many still read on screens, deep, sustained reading is declining.