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Partnership crucial to improving literacy – Education Minister
Under the theme “Literacy for the 21st Century”, the Ministry of Education and by extension schools across the country, joined countries around the world yesterday to observe International Literacy Day.
But the observance yesterday was certainly not limited to schools but rather a wide cross-section of the country embraced activities which fell under two strategic campaigns designed by the Education Ministry. The campaigns “Give a Book” and “Drop Everything and Read” not only encouraged persons to give a book away but also to embrace a move to stop everything and read for 15 consecutive minutes which commenced at 11:00 hours.
A group of pupils taking advantage of the Literacy Corner at the Stella Maris Primary School.
But the activities all started as early as 09:30 hours at the Woolford Avenue, Georgetown, Stella Maris Primary School. This was however no coincidence as it was this very school that Education Ministry, Priya Manickchand, had attended as a young child.
She not only interacted with the teachers and members of the Parent/Teacher Association but also took time to chat with pupils and also to have them read to her.
During her brief visit at the school the Minister commended the school’s literacy corner which was being utilised by a number of pupils.
And according to the Minister, promoting literacy and education on the whole, requires a crucial partnership between Government, the Ministry of Education, teachers, parents and children as well. “This is like a relay (race)…all these partners must work together and if you have one weak leg then the whole race will be lost,” asserted the Minister, who insisted that “everybody has to play their part and be very strong.”
Moreover, she noted that President Donald Ramotar and his Cabinet currently have education high on the Governmental agenda since “we are working towards ensuring that children are able to learn.” It is for this reason, Minister Manickchand noted that the Education sector is usually afforded a great portion of the national budget which translates in “us being able to give you more services…”
A bold pupil reads to Minister Priya Manickchand
In fact the Minister committed to the pupils yesterday that the Ministry of Education will continuously work hard “to bring to you all that we planned; change things that need to be changed and renew programmes as they need to be renewed.”
But in doing so, the Minister said that not only are teachers required to be committed to their job but pupils must also be disciplined and respectful to their teachers, even as she noted that must embrace their role “as the first teachers their children will ever encounter.”
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