Int’l Literacy Day to be Observed Sept. 8

Jamaica will join the rest of the world in celebrating International Literacy Day on Thursday, September 8, under the theme ‘Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces’.

Schools across Jamaica are being encouraged to be innovative in engaging students and other stakeholders in the celebrations and to use the day to look at ways to transform the literacy learning spaces.

These celebratory activities should positively affect academic recovery for students who have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Literacy Coordinator, Dr. André Hill, said the Ministry of Education and Youth remains committed to increasing the number of literate individuals in the nation and continues to partner with stakeholders for this to become a reality.

Some of the suggested activities are to create word banks with high-frequency (sight) words; create word banks with words relating to content areas; engage in debates/discussions/writing activities focused on the need for literacy learning spaces that are accessible and inclusive; host a hula-hoop spelling competition; play word bingo games; host a ‘Read as You Sing’ Karaoke competition, or host teacher empowerment sessions based on the theme.

This year marks the 56th observation of the day, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) promotes the day to underline the significance of literacy in the development and advancement of all nations globally.