EDUCATION Minister Shaik Baksh has announced that 325 of the 345 persons who have, so far, completed the Literacy Educator Basic Course, are currently employed at 219 centres across the country.
Speaking at a recent teachers’ forum, he said that 16 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are actively involved in the training, provision of materials and conducting the programmes for literacy educators.
The release said the Ministry conducted numerous regional and national workshops to train and equip the educators to advance the programme and realise the Government’s objectives in this important area.
According to the release, in 2008 and 2009, teachers at every grade of the primary level devoted one extra hour per week to work with children who experience difficulties in meeting the required literacy standards.
The Minister reported that approximately 9,000 children participated in that after school activity and there has been significant improvement in their performance.
He said grade six pupils, whose performance in the term two tests was less than 50 per cent, took part in a six weeks literacy programme at their school after the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and some schools organised similar lessons for their students during the August vacation.
Baksh explained that this programme, which is continuing in 2010, aims to provide basic training to students, especially in the area of remedial reading and the pre and post-test results for each of the years have shown significant growth in pupils’ literacy levels.
The Ministry of Education recently introduced a six-year secondary school programme for low performing students, with heavy emphasis being placed on literacy and numeracy in the first year and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions are also offering a compulsory programme for their students.
Baksh disclosed that the Guyana Prison Service (GPS), too, is working with the Literacy Unit of his ministry to better literacy among inmates, like the corporate private sector is going for workers.
He said 5,148 young adults and out-of-school youths, who are engaged in the Literacy Unit’s programme, have shown significant improvement.
Baksh said, contrary to what is stated in some sections of the media, it has always been the Ministry policy to place the most experienced and qualified teachers at the early childhood education level to ensure there is a solid foundation there.
He acknowledged that the Jamaica literacy programmes have provided insights into development in this area locally.
Baksh informed that the Government has invested significant sums to improve local literacy standards through the National Fast Track Literacy Programme which commenced in 2008, targeting low performers, out-of-school youths and young illiterate adults.
He said, though this programme covers all education districts and is managed by a National Literacy Coordinator with support from 15 regional literacy coordinators and educators, the results of an innovation in education is not too obvious in the first four years.
But he posited that, with every teacher living up to their responsibility in the classroom, the expectations of his ministry can be fulfilled.
Baksh said teachers are now being held more accountable for their stewardship and they have demonstrated that efforts are being made to move children along the literacy continuum.