THE Ministry of Education’s National Literacy Unit (NLU) yesterday held its annual Literacy Showcase in observance of Education Month 2012 at its Sports Ground on Carifesta Avenue.

Giving the feature address, Chief Education Officer Olato Sam said that literacy is the key to academic success in its entirety. He opined that if a person was not literate, that person could not master the other dimensions of the educational process.
Sam said that literacy has a key role in shaping and defining the quality of life for everyone. “The nation we aspire to have will depend greatly on the extent to which our citizens have mastered these basic competency skills”, he said.
He also said that literacy leads to higher levels of tolerance, and acceptance of different cultures and ways of life.
According to him, literacy goes well beyond the classroom, and speaks to our national state of affairs.
He related that all Guyana needs to embrace the role each has to play in improving the quality of our literary output.
Sam noted that the evidence emerging from the education system is highly encouraging, as the national literacy assessment at the grade four level has produced the highest level of literacy seen thus far.
He applauded the teachers, parents and students for their hard work in improving the education system.
According to Sam, the Ministry of Education is ready and willing to support any entity that comes forward with an appeal for support in moving its workers, community members and citizens forward in the area of literacy.
“You step forward and we will find the resources to help you. No matter where, no matter how, we will make it happen,” he said.
Head of the NLU, Samantha Williams, said the state of illiteracy among citizens of the world is growing phenomenally. She said that, like many other countries, Guyana faces the problem of illiteracy.
Williams noted that it is not enough to acknowledge that illiteracy exists, but everyone has a role to play in ensuring that illiteracy is eliminated.
According to her, one of the major effects of illiteracy is that it inhibits the development of any nation. “The National Literacy Unit believes that a literate citizenry is able to make wise decisions, live in mutual respect, exercise tolerance, and develop and modernise a nation”, she said.
According to her, the showcase served to sensitise the public of the programmes and services that are available to help any child or adult develop literacy skills.
Various entities, such as Guyoil, Sterling Products Limited, and the National Library, had a wealth of information on display, including how to improve literacy levels; converting games children love into literacy activities; fostering a love for reading through storytelling; and using pictures to develop writing skills.