Muscat- The Sultan Qaboos Higher Center for Culture and Science on Sunday launched the 15th edition of the “Iqraa” (Read) competition for young people as part of its ongoing efforts to promote a culture of reading and strengthen knowledge and analytical skills among younger generations.

According to the organising committee, submissions for the competition will remain open until October 1.

The initiative aims to enhance students’ reading, summarising and analytical abilities, helping to develop well-rounded individuals capable of adapting to changing times through informed and enlightened thinking.

The competition targets three age groups through a progressive framework designed to develop participants’ linguistic and cognitive skills.

The first level is dedicated to pupils in Years 5 and 6, requiring participants to read four books and prepare summaries for two of them. Topics include the etiquette of dialogue, stories from the Prophet’s biography, healthy eating, good citizenship, Omani libraries, stories from Omani heritage, science fiction, as well as contemporary themes such as safe internet use, time management, recycling, environmental protection, and the conservation of water and electricity.

The second level, for pupils in Years 7 and 8, requires participants to read five books and summarise three. Themes include voluntary work, entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, digital identity, machine learning, video games, environmental sustainability and food security, alongside topics related to family values and traditional Omani neighbourhoods.

At the third level, designed for pupils in Years 9 and 10, participants are required to read six books and summarise four. Topics focus on intellectual and national issues such as religious coexistence, the waqf system in Oman, rumours, Oman Vision 2040, digital addiction, social isolation in the age of social media, digital citizenship, future professions, smart cities, and crisis and disaster management.

The centre is conducting the competition across 11 geographically distributed centres throughout Oman, enabling broad participation by students from different governorates.

The “Iqraa” competition has become one of Oman’s leading cultural initiatives, seeking to establish reading as a way of life while nurturing a generation equipped with knowledge, critical thinking and creativity, rooted in authentic Omani values and aligned with future aspirations.