(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

When schools closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, many parents struggled to keep their children away from screens. Shankar G, co-founder of Learner Circle challenged it and turned into an opportunity that would inspire hundreds of young minds to write their own books.

Shankar developed an edtech platform for extracurricular learning, and began teaching his children to write stories at home during the lockdown.“My children had read all their books, and I didn't want them to spend hours on gadgets,” he said.“That's when I decided to teach them creative writing, and soon realised that parents everywhere were facing the same issue.”

Recommended For You Adnoc Drilling expands regional footprint with major stake in MB Petroleum Services

To turn screen time into something meaningful, Shankar launched Learners Circle, which offered 15 extracurricular courses for children, including coding, public speaking, and art. Its creative writing course, however, has become the most popular, producing over 400 first-time authors under the age of 18.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

At this year's Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), 45 young writers aged between 7 and 18 are showcasing their published works, from poetry to fantasy novels, under the Learners Circle banner. In total, the platform has 90 titles on display at the fair.

“Our youngest author is just seven years old,” said Shankar.“Most of our young authors are based in the UAE and we have seen them write short stories, poems, and even full-length novels. One 12-year-old wrote about a journalist solving a pandemic-like crisis using clues from ancient Egyptian scripts, and she's already working on a sequel.”

The creative writing programme is designed to help children build storytelling skills and confidence.“We teach them how to avoid grammatical errors, create characters, and structure a story,” said Shankar.“Our team also helps with editing, illustrations, and publishing, so that every child can see their dream book come to life.”

The courses are offered in two formats, a short five-day workshop and a three-month programme for those keen to dive deeper. Each participant goes through a guided process from brainstorming and writing drafts to designing cover art.“The pages and covers are handled by our team, but the children share their ideas for illustrations based on their storylines,” said Shankar.

Shankar held their first publishing event in April last year, when 42 children from the UAE launched their books. Since then, the platform has grown rapidly, inspiring creativity and storytelling among students across the country.

“Writing gives children a sense of ownership and pride. When they hold their book for the first time, it's a life-changing moment. They realise they can create something lasting,” said Shankar.

What started as a small home activity during the pandemic has now become a literary movement which is nurturing the next generation of authors and thinkers.

“Every child has a story to tell. We just help them discover it,” said Shankar.

MENAFN06112025000049011007ID1110307262