COURTS OECS READING COMPETITION
ST. GEORGE'S GRENADA, MOEHRD, Friday September 11th 2009 - The importance of literacy can never be overstated and the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development is not alone in trying to get that message across.
On International Literacy Day 2009 the Courts OECS Reading Competition was launched in collaboration with the Ministry and UNESCO.
Secretary General of the Grenada National Commission for UNESCO Mr. Eugene Gittens referred to the competition being launched on International Literacy Day as “significant.”
“Literacy empowers people by increasing their self esteem, their confidence, their assertiveness and helps to build a sense of personal competence and independence” said Mr. Gittens.
The UNESCO Secretary General said literacy also brings with it a better awareness of ones rights. He said the competition is a great programme at a great time as it would encourage the nations’ children to sharpen their reading skills in a friendly yet vigorous local and regional competition.
Deputy Chief Education Officer responsible for Curriculum Mrs. Andrea Phillip who spoke on the educational aspect of the competition described it as a flagship that could only bear wonderful results. “Once a child is given the craft, the skill of reading we know that that child would be able to successfully navigate the rest of the curriculum.”
Courts OECS Marketing Director Ms. Lorraine Sidonie speaking of the company’s vision said it is their belief that the share satisfaction of the students representing their country at a regional level will build their self confidence improve their national pride and allow them to enjoy reading even more. “We believe those are fabulous attributes to acquire.”
The competition is being held island-wide for students ages 8-9 and will assess reading fluency, accuracy, enunciation, smoothness confidence and expression of participants.
Marketing Manager of Courts Grenada Limited Deleon Walters says he is extremely excited about the competition and is urging teachers to give their full support to the students. “What I’m asking of each teacher is to encourage that child, help that child.” He says however that every child chosen to represent his or her school is already a winner in his mind.
The competition will be held in three phases: a preliminary round followed by the semi finals and the finals the winner of which will determine who represents Grenada in Dominica .
Fifty eight (58) schools are expected to participate in the competition and will be divided into seven (7) districts. Two (2) persons from each district will be selected from the preliminary round to go into the semi finals and seven for the finals.
The seventh to fourth placed finalists for the Grenada competition will receive $500.00, third place gets $750.00, second place $1000.00, and first place $2000.00. The winning school will also get $2000.00.
The winner of the competition will represent Grenada at the OECS level in Dominica in October.
Written By: MOEPRO
Date Posted: 9/11/2009
Number of Views: 733
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