Caribbean Times 88th Issue - Thursday 8th September 2016

10 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g
Thursday 8th September 2016
Statement from the OECS Commission on
the observance of International Literacy Day
Around the world the
spotlight on literacy is
brightening! That is in concert
with the sharpening
focus by the OECS Commission
who joins major international
agencies in promoting
the value of literacy
generally, and its specific
role in poverty eradication
and fostering egalitarian
societies.
The composite of financial
contributions and advocacy
by top-tier institutions
like UNESCO, USAID and
the Global Reading Network,
among others, have
given impetus to the drive
to eradicate illiteracy. This
year marks 50 years since
UNESCO established September
8 as International
Literacy Day.
Such efforts win the adoration
of the entire world
and are seen as creating a
movement. Maya Angelou
analogized it powerfully:
cont’d from pg 9
Tobago. For the past three years, they have
generously provided technical sponsorship
for the festival’s New Media programme.
Big Black Box, located on 33 Murray
Street, Woodbrook and managed by 3Canal,
has evolved into ttff’s official venue partner
for New Media this year; and will also be
a ‘watering hole’ during the festival period,
offering film fans a creative community
space to relax after attending films and industry
activities.
For more information visit: ttfilmfestival.
com
The trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff)
“The elimination of illiteracy
is as serious an issue as
the abolition of slavery”.
No one would deny the true
liberation and empowerment
that literacy brings.
Some of these efforts
have borne fruit to some
degree. The UNESCO Institute
for Statistics reported
in September, 2015
that 757 million adults (15
years and older), including
115 million youth (15 – 24
years), cannot read or write
a simple sentence. Roughly
two-thirds of them (63%)
are female. This represents
an improvement over 2012
when the number of illiterate
adults was estimated to
be 781 million.
The OECS Commission
is playing its part to support
literacy improvement in the
region. Last year, the Commission
was able to secure
an award of approximately
$US 9 million to implement
the Early Learners
Programme (ELP), an intervention
targeting reading
development issues at
the Grade K - 3 levels.
The six independent
Member States of the
OECS are the beneficiaries
of this award agreement.
These States have undertaken
several initiatives
to address some of evident
shortcoming in reading and
writing. Data in 2015 from
Antigua indicate that at key
stage Grade 2 level, 61% of
students read at or above
grade level.
In the previous year St.
Kitts had recorded upwards
of 90 % at the same grade.
In 2015 in St. Lucia the
overall performance at the
Minimum Standards Examination
in Grade 2 was 47.
9.
The ELP is expected to
augment these efforts and
achieve the goal: ‘Every
celebrates films from and about the Caribbean
and its diaspora, as well as from world
cinema, through an annual festival and yearround
screenings.
In addition, the ttff seeks to facilitate the
growth of Caribbean cinema by offering a
wide-ranging industry programme and networking
opportunities.
The ttff is presented by Flow, given leading
sponsorship by Trinidad and Tobago
Film Company Ltd (FilmTT), and supporting
sponsorship by RBC Royal Bank, The
National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago,
Embassy of the United States of America
and the Tourism Development Company.
learner succeeds’.
The OECS Commission
celebrates and champions
all these and other undertakings
to address concerns
about literacy. In this
regard, the Commission
joins all Member States,
including Ministries of
Education and educational
institutions, members of
the United Nations and the
international community,
in celebrating 2016 International
Literacy Day under
the theme ‘Reading the
Past, Writing the Future’.
Inherent in this theme is
the understanding that literacy
encapsulates more than
just reading. Writing is another
critical component,
requiring great attention.
The theme, moreover,
suggests a concurrent reflection
on what has been
achieved, the road travelled,
and active engagement
on what lies ahead,
what is still to be done and
how to get there. International
Literacy Day provides
an ideal opportunity
for that kind of reflection
and commitment to continue
taking active steps towards
literacy for all.
The OECS Commission
invites all within the
Member States to share in
celebrating literacy and
the lifelong esteem that it
brings to its bearers. Happy
International Literacy Day,
2016.