Promoting a love of reading
─46 reading spaces presented to Primary Schools in Regions 5, 6
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, January 18, 2020
A ceremony to formally observe the handover of forty-six reading spaces to Primary schools in Regions Five and Six was held last Friday.
The initiative, which aims to promote literacy, was led by the Division of Education and Humanities of the University of Guyana Berbice Campus.
The effort, which began in 2017, has become an annual event. Hosted under the theme “Sharing Knowledge, Building Relationships, Supporting Development,” it was conducted by the students of class EEN 4102 – Teaching of Language Arts at the Primary Level.
Lecturer and Project Coordinator Pamela Rose explained that as part of the programme students identified the need to disseminate strategies to promote literacy and encourage reading for pleasure; especially where resources or access to reading materials were limited. The class worked with community partners to make the project a success.
“It began with the aim of adding to whatever resources are in the schools, so we could get the children reading for pleasure. The reading spaces is a traditional method, but it’s a traditional method that works and many of us here are products of that traditional method. It’s a foundation that classrooms can build on. We are hoping that of this model we are giving to you, other models would emerge and that you would replicate and continue to promote reading for pleasure,” Rose explained.
It was disclosed that 25 reading spaces were awarded in 2017, another 24 in 2018 and Friday’s ceremony observed the handover of 46 reading spaces in 2019.
Pro-Chancellor of the University of Guyana (ret’d) Major General Joe Singh commended the students, lecturers and donors for providing access to education materials which encourages literacy, creativity and imagination.
“This is very laudable and I commend you and the courses of 2017,2018 and 2019 for recognising the need. Reading spaces are now recognised as an aspect of high impact practices these initiatives can bring about the greatest impact in helping to move people from the lower level to upper level”.
Schools in Siparuta, a riverain community along Corentyne River in Region 6 and Abary a community in the Mahaica-Berbice Region have received at least one reading space since the project started.