Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB) has unveiled a five-year initiative called ReadSG, offering small cash incentives and digital rewards to help residents establish a daily reading habit.
Rolled out in September 2026, the nationwide campaign features the ReadSG Challenge, which allows participants to log their progress using the government’s CrowdTaskSG platform. Readers earn 20 virtual coins for completing a qualifying 15-minute daily reading session. Once participants collect 1,000 coins over 50 separate daily sessions, they can redeem them for S$1.
To keep participants engaged against the distractions of social media and short-form video content, the system uses gamification elements like reading streaks, customizable goals, and digital tokens.
NLB chief executive Melissa Tam noted that the program intentionally begins with a manageable daily requirement, highlighting that small, steady actions are key to building permanent habits.
The movement comes on the heels of the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025 results released on September 8 by the OECD.
While Singaporean 15-year-olds maintained a top global ranking with a reading score of 535, the figure reflected a slight drop compared to the country’s 2022 performance.
Rather than teaching basic literacy, the ReadSG initiative aims to cultivate sustained, deep reading practices across all age groups in an increasingly digital landscape.