PM Reads to Students at Mona Heights Primary

As the nation observes Read Across Jamaica Day on Tuesday (May 7), Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, took time out to sit and read with students at Mona Heights Primary School in St. Andrew.

Mr. Holness engaged the students as he read to them from the BUFF Animal Tales series.

He also donated several books to the institution, for which Principal, Fabian Mahabeer, was very grateful.

“We’re absolutely elated that the Prime Minister selected our school to participate in Read Across Jamaica Day. It’s indeed an honour that we were chosen out of all the schools that he could have selected,” Mr. Mahabeer told JIS News.

He said that the students enjoyed the interaction with the Prime Minister.

“The exercise was very exciting for the students; very fruitful. The teachers, students and parents who came to witness, I imagine that they find a great degree of satisfaction in seeing the Prime Minister coming here and sharing in Education Week and the education system with us,” he added.

Minister of Energy, Science and Technology and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew Eastern, where the school is located, Hon. Fayval Williams, joined in the session and read alongside the Prime Minister.

Read Across Jamaica Day is an annual observance of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information in partnership with the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), and seeks to foster interest in reading by encouraging parents and other members of the society to read a book to a child.

It is a part of the activities to mark Education Week from May 5 to 11 under the theme ‘Empowering Educators: Retooling, Innovating, Networking for Sustainable Development’.

Since its inception in 2005, Read Across Jamaica Day has provided many opportunities for young children to be influenced positively through an appreciation of literature.