Reading programme helped SEA results

Trevor Oliver, NPSPA assistant secretary told Newsday a survey of schools which carry the programme, revealed that 30 of 80 schools in the St George East district reported a significant improvement in the language component of the exam, with St Joseph Girls RC and Arouca Government showing great improvement.

He said comparisons were made between the 2005 and 2006 SEA exams and if the programme is pursued with the passion similar to that displayed by the Soca Warriors at the World Cup Finals in Germany, it would make a tremendous difference in the reading of primary school students.

Oliver said many children enter secondary school reading at the “frustration level” — a level at which the child cannot access the reading material given to them at school.

However, the aim of the NPSPA, through the campaign, was to bring every child to the “independent level” — where the child can read on his own.

He added that since the campaign began in April last year, several schools adopted personal reading drives which included the purchase and introduction of reading software for teachers, expansion of school libraries, teacher training in the teaching of reading and special reading periods during school hours.

Oliver told Newsday, the dream of the NPSPA was to get 100 percent of primary school students functionally literate before reaching the SEA exam level.