Visit Of Logos Hope To Promote Literacy – Dr. Pinnock

Regional Director for the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information’s region four, Dr. Michelle Pinnock, says the visit of the Logos Hope to Montego Bay will help to boost literacy and promote education in western Jamaica.

During the visit of the ship from February 13 to 23, students, teachers and parents will have the opportunity to access more than 5,000 book titles from different genres.

These include Christian literature, science, sports, hobbies, arts, medicine, children’s literature, academic texts, dictionaries and atlases.

In an interview with JIS News, Dr. Pinnock said the students’ exposure to a wide array of literary material “will help us (the Ministry) to boost reading”.

“As it relates to books, this exposure is excellent in that it gives parents an opportunity to purchase books at a reduced cost… so persons are able to add to their libraries at home,” she pointed out.

Dr. Pinnock said that region four, which covers St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland, has coordinated the involvement of schools, which will visit the floating book fair on a scheduled basis.

“This is an outing for parents and for schools, and the Logos Hope has arranged that, during the day, schools are accommodated,” she noted.

She also welcomed plans by the Logos Hope team to carry out charitable work at schools throughout the region.

Entrance fee to the Logos Hope is $200 per person. Adults 65 and over, and children under 12 years old are allowed to enter free.

Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with the 400 volunteers from 60 countries on board the ship and enjoy activities such as storytelling and a theatrical production.

The vessel will dock in Kingston from February 27 to March 15.

The Logos Hope’s last visit to Jamaica was in 2017. The vessel is operated by GBA Ships e.V., an international charitable organisation based in Germany.