JLS Looking to Make the Annual National Reading Competition More Inclusive
By: , August 31, 2024
Photo: Rudranath Fraser
Director General, Jamaica Library Service (JLS), Maureen Thompson (centre), and Deputy Chief Education Officer, Curriculum and Support Services, Ministry of Education and Youth, Winnie Berry (right), converse with Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Mutual Foundation, Samantha Charles, during the JLS’ National Reading Competition awards ceremony on Friday (August 30) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. The event was held under the theme: ‘Read More In 2024’.The Full Story
The Jamaica Library Service (JLS) is looking to make its annual National Reading Competition more inclusive.
With this year’s renewal comprising entrants, aged six to 99 years, Director General, Maureen Thompson, says the JLS wants to further diversify the range of participants.
To this end, she said the agency is particularly keen on making the competition more inclusive for persons with disabilities.
The Director General said this goal was inspired by the performance of entrant in the Kingston and St. Andrew library region’s 12-14 age group category, Aldane Harrison, who is visually impaired and who was a parish finalist this year.
She was addressing the 2024 JLS National Reading Competition awards ceremony on Friday (August 30) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston under the theme – ‘Read More In 2024’.
Mrs. Thompson said the JLS also plans to do significant work to realise at least a 20 per cent increase in the level of participation for the competition’s 2025 renewal.
“We do look forward to going back with the competition into the television studios for the exciting component of the buzzer section at the national quiz finals,” she added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Education Officer for Curriculum and Support Services in the Ministry of Education and Youth, Winnie Berry, commended the JLS for their contributions to promoting literacy.
“We are elated to join all our readers, as we champion the JLS’ efforts to encourage reading at all ages and stages. Outside of this competition, the Ministry of Education and Youth encourages students and their parents to engage with many reading resources, all of which we provide. We want to encourage all our students and parents to utilise all public reading spaces available to them through our public library network,” she further said.
The awards ceremony celebrates the achievements of youth and adult participants emerging as parish champions of the National Reading Competition across the public library network.