Barbados’ literacy rate has climbed to over 40 per cent, up from just over 20 per cent in the last two years following the introduction of the Ministry of Education Transformation’s National Literacy Programme, Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw has revealed.
The programme, launched in September, was aimed at boosting reading proficiency among students across the island.
“The percentage of students reading at the primary level increasing from 23 per cent to 41 per cent and a new cohort of 26 per cent of students now reading at the infants B level,” Dr Archer-Bradshaw said as the fourth edition of children’s author initiative, Make a Book, launched on Thursday.
“These gains have been supported by structured, evidence-based interventions, including systematic phonics instruction.”
The gains were supported by targeted measures, including the training of more than 587 teachers in structured literacy approaches, as well as the introduction of a daily 35-minute reading period in all primary schools, Dr Archer-Bradshaw said.
“We call it time to soar, time to strengthen our ability to read. And I must say, I must share with you that the programme in general has reached over 6 400 students across 82 schools in Barbados. And this demonstrates skill and impact, and the ministry’s efforts when it comes to making sure that our children have a solid start.”
She explained that the Make a Book project represents the next phase of that push, moving students beyond literacy acquisition into content creation.
“The Make a Book project builds directly on this strengthened foundation by extending literacy from the acquisition of knowledge to the application and the creation.
“And as students develop their reading and writing skills through these structured programs, this initiative provides the essential next step, which is transforming our students from just being learners to being creators.”
The chief education officer also pointed to strong male participation in the initiative, describing it as a notable shift.
“What is very interesting also about this initiative is the fact that it is targeting all students, but the demographic of male students are the ones who are producing a lot of work, and I love that male students accounted for 62 per cent of the submissions, reflecting a meaningful shift in participation.”
Broader education reform efforts are also supporting improved literacy outcomes, Dr Archer-Bradshaw added.
“You know that as part of the education transformation agenda we are reviewing curricula, we are strengthening literacy outcomes, we are equipping our teachers with the knowledge, the attitudes, and the skills to be effective within the classroom.”
The goal is to create learning experiences that extend beyond examinations and into real life, while empowering students to find their voice, said the education chief.
“We want to create meaningful, authentic learning experiences that not only prepare our students for exams, but that prepare our students for everyday life. These students are telling their stories, they’re discovering their voices, they’re developing identity, confidence, and agency. They’re recognising what they think, why they’re thinking it, what they feel, and what they are creating is actually of value.
“So students, today we celebrate you, your voices matter, your stories matter, and your ideas indeed matter. You are pioneers in this new model of learning.” (LG)
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