According to a recent CROP poll... Only 36 % of parents read to their children - Encouraging your little ones to read... a first step toward academic success!

QUEBEC CITY, Sept. 3, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - A recent CROP poll commissioned by Universitas, RESP industry leader with 50 years of experience, reveals that the majority of parents (77 %) believe in the correlation between a child's love of reading and school success. And yet, only 36 % read to their children to stimulate their interest in books, and a mere 6% of parents read themselves to lead by example. These results are rather unsettling when one considers that the latest studies show that the more children are exposed to reading at a young age, the better their chances of school success¹. There is also a direct correlation between an early initiation to literacy and academic achievement in high school².

While most parents (86 %) say they encourage their children to read, only 17 % of the respondents do so before their little ones reach two years of age. "Several studies show that children exposed to reading before the age of 18 months will, for a number of reasons, benefit from a head start when they begin school. Through their exposure to books and reading, these children will have developed, among other skills, their thought processes, their understanding of concepts and have a wider ranging vocabulary," explains Julie Provencher, Teacher and Child Development Lecturer.

Invest early in reading... and school success!

Investing early is a winning strategy to promote academic success, as much for reading as it is for education savings. Although there is no age or deadline to start investing in a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), the earlier parents and relatives start investing for a child, the higher the educational assistance payments for school. Considering that in 20 years, the cost to complete five years of post-secondary education will increase from $ 75,000 to $ 140,000³, it is better to plan ahead for this milestone.

The survey was conducted by the CROP polling firm online via a Web panel, from May 15 to 20, 2013. A total of 1,000 questionnaires were completed by respondents residing in the province of Quebec.

About Universitas
Established in 1964, Universitas is an RESP industry leader at the service of families across Quebec and New Brunswick. With a mission to promote post-secondary education through savings and educational assistance payments (EAPs), Universitas has $1 billion in assets under management, has paid out more than $500 million in EAPs and returned savings, and currently has 208,000 beneficiaries. For more information, please go to universitas.ca.

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¹ Daviault, D., L'émergence et le développement du langage chez l'enfant (2011). Montréal, Chenelière
² http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/statistiques/education/prescolaire-primaire/reussite-epreuve-francais_an.html
³ Estimated cost to complete two years of CEGEP and three years of University in Quebec, housing included. Yearly increase of 3% based on approximate costs in 2012. Source: canlearn.ca and Statistics Canada.

SOURCE: Gestion Universitas inc.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please call one of the following persons: Lydia Juliano | Julie Deschambault, Matom Communication, [email protected] | [email protected], 514 949-1446 | 514 891-8645; Isabelle Lessard, Senior Advisor, Communications and Public Relations, Universitas, 418 651-8977 Ext. 2320, [email protected]