PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar and Opposition Leader David Granger are reputedly among leading lights supporting the Education Ministry’s ‘Give a Book’ and ‘Drop Everything and Read’ campaigns, set to kick off tomorrow as part of a series of activities to mark Education Month 2013.

Aiming to promote reading nationwide, the Education Ministry is making a clarion call to the nation to set aside at least 15 minutes of quality time each day, beginning tomorrow, to engage in reading.

In order to highlight the importance of these initiatives, the Education Ministry has outlined in a recent press release: “The goal is for these campaigns to become visible movements that will lead people nationwide to read.”

Essentially, it emphasized,“…the campaigns showcase that anyone can give a book… Everyone can stop what they are doing and read for 15 minutes every day, starting on Monday, September 9.”

And to whom are these messages directed? “From the average citizen to leading politicians, religious leaders and other Guyanese of notable repute; all can support and help each other in the national effort to get Guyanese to actively read again,” the Education Ministry said in the release.

“These campaigns are clear and simple, and can form the catalyst from which the ministry can continue to disseminate its key messages of the importance of reading in everyday life,” the release furthered.

The Education Ministry continues to garner much support for its Education Month activities from other leading Guyanese personalities throughout the country, including Education Minister Ms. Priya Manickchand; Alliance For Change (AFC) leader, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan; Chief Education Officer, Mr Olato Sam; representative of the Christian religious community, Mr. Marcel Hutson; Dr. Vindya Vasini Persaud from the Hindu religious community; and CIOG head, Mr. Sheik Moen of the Muslim religious community; National cricketer Ramnaresh Sarwan; CSEC 2013 top student Zimeena Rasheed; and top hinterland student, Dacia Chappelle.

The Education Ministry is very happy that these leading Guyanese figures are participating in both the ‘Give a Book’ and ‘Drop Everything and Read’ campaigns.

Speaking on the continuous gathering of support the ministry is receiving as it rolls out its Education Month  campaigns, Education Minister Priya Manickchand said: “We hope that their enthusiasm and commitment to supporting literacy in Guyana will inspire others to become partners with the ministry in further advancing literacy in Guyana.”

It is the aim of the ministry to ensure that each child is equipped with the requisite literacy skills to lead a better life. Further, it is hoped that through these campaigns will evolve a resurgence of stimulated and sustained action that will really get the nation reading enthusiastically again.