JIS Lauded For Staging Read Across Jamaica Day On Social Media Platforms

The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) has been lauded for its inaugural staging of Read Across Jamaica Day on its social media platforms.

National Literacy Coordinator, Dr. André Hill, said the team at the agency must be applauded for embarking on the initiative, which was held on Tuesday (May 4), especially with COVID-19 affecting normal everyday life.

“It was really innovative thinking on the JIS’s part to facilitate their contribution to Read Across Jamaica via online engagement. It was a wonderful thing to do, and the stories selected could not have been better, written by Jamaican educators and read by Jamaicans in various capacities,” Dr. Hill said.

The National Literacy Coordinator, who, along with Chief Executive Officer at the JIS, Donna-Marie Rowe and other senior and junior officers at the agency, read stories in observance of the annual event, with scores of schools tuned in to the live-stream.

Dr. Hill said it was “remarkable” to have participants sharing and commenting in real time.

He said the agency should also lead in the observance of similar “noteworthy” events.

“I hope that parents and their children will recognise, from the stories read, the value of reading, that it can be both pleasurable and informative. It indicates that we can take traditional stories and transform them into anything we want,” Dr. Hill said.

For her part, Mrs. Rowe said social media allowed the event to reach more than 11,000 people, adding that it was an effort that also involved the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information.

“Teachers responded to our promotion. We wish our children a wonderful day of reading, because growing our minds is fun,” she said.

Grade-two teacher at the St. Andrew-based Melrose Primary and Junior High School, Tudy-Ann Johnson, said she appreciated the books used in the event as they were “culturally relevant and interesting”.

She said the day’s activities reinforced her belief that the “Jamaican language can make good literature as does Standard English”, adding that the stories should also encourage conversations between parents and children.

Vice Principal at the St. Thomas-based Lyssons Primary School, Courtney Lindsay, said the event was of “tremendous interest” to the school and “teachers fully participated”.

“It was meaningful for our students. We have a passion for excellence, and this is one excellent initiative, coming at a very good time to stimulate the interest of students,” Mr. Lindsay said.

Grade-two teacher at Tarrant Primary School in St. Andrew, Charmaine Clayton, said the Jamaican culture was “showcased” through the stories.

“I would love to see it again, and I must congratulate the team for organising such an interactive and interesting presentation,” she said.

Writer, presenter and producer in the JIS Radio Department, Jermi-Lee Nelson, said he participated in reading at the event to impart to the children the benefits of reading.

Meanwhile, Principal of the St. Catherine-based Friendship Primary School, Carlington Powell, said the very “novel” initiative by the JIS ensured that, notwithstanding the pandemic, “students were given the opportunity to a virtual Read Across Jamaica Day experience”.

“I have no doubt that not just the students but the entire households that these students come from have been positively impacted,” he said.

Read Across Jamaica is a part of activities by the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) to celebrate Education Week, which runs from May 3 to 9.

The day is celebrated under the theme ‘Promoting Digital Transformation and Positive Values and Attitudes – Imperatives for Redefining 21^st Century Education’.

The event promotes the significance of reading and literacy.