100 Educators Graduate from Read Right from the Start Programme

Approximately 100 early childhood educators have successfully completed a literacy intervention project dubbed ‘Read Right from the Start’.

Over the past eight months, United Way of Jamaica (UWJ) has collaborated with United Way of Greater Atlanta and language and literacy experts from the Rollins Center to conduct training sessions in Jamaica.

These sessions aimed to build the capacity of early childhood teachers and representatives of the Early Childhood Commission to deliver effective learning programmes.

Addressing the graduation ceremony, held on Friday (August 23), at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters, in St. Andrew, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Hon. Marsha Smith said the event was celebratory for both students and the educators.

“Our students as they enter the system, and the teachers who have at their hearts the care and nurture of these students, one of the first things that is required as you perform those duties, is the building of your capacity,” Ms. Smith said.

The State Minister lauded United Way of Jamaica for also partnering with the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund on the literacy intervention project.

Ms. Smith pointed out that reading opens doors to opportunities and fosters critical thinking and creativity.

She further underscored that the teachers who participated in the project, will return to their various schools with the new skills acquired from the project.

United Way of Jamaica was established in 1985 to fulfil the need for a sustained system for mobilising resources for the private voluntary sector.

It is an autonomous non-profit private voluntary organisation (PVO) and registered as a charitable organisation under Section 2 and Section 17 of the Charities Act. It is also an affiliate of United Way Worldwide.