NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (NOVEMBER 10, 2015) — Education Officer responsible for Literacy Development at the Department of Education Terres Dore expressed satisfaction with the first ever Rainforest of Reading Book Festival hosted by the department in collaboration with OneWorld Schoolhouse Foundation.

She told the Department of Information on November 09, 2015, that the festival which was held at the Elquemedo T. Willett Park on November 06, 2015, met with the department’s expectations.

“From the perspective of the organisers, the activity was a tremendous success.

“The children were thoroughly excited as they engaged in storytelling, colouring craft, word searches, banagrams, drawing, meeting an author and illustrator, all centred around expanding their knowledge and ability to think, problem solve, create, innovate, imagine and adapt,” she said.

According to Dore, the reading festival was attended by about 500 students from all the primary schools on the island in Grades 3, 4 and 5 and students from the Cecele Browne Integrated School. The event commenced with a march through Charlestown.

The festival, a first of its kind on Nevis, was the culmination of a number of literacy-rich activities. It was designed to cultivate deep roots for literacy and lifelong learning. The Education Officer said, children who become lifelong learners are more likely to succeed as adults and the Ministry of Education was pleased to be drafted into the undertaking and welcomed all future, related endeavours.

Meantime, Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Ministry Wakely Daniel, who stood in for the Minister of Education Hon. Vance Amory, declared the event opened.

He said the Ministry of Education sees reading as fundamental.

“Reading is of absolute importance. It does not matter what you are engaged in, whether it is Mathematics. It does not matter what profession you are engaged in. If you are in the technical area, if you are into computers, regardless, reading is important.

“Reading is fundamental and we are certain that the exercise you will engage in, Rainforest of Reading, will assist our children,” he said.

Daniel said over the years literacy has waned throughout the Caribbean and he attributed the trend to insufficient reading.

He added that Rainforest of Reading would stimulate reading among the children of Nevis.

The Ministry of Education official also used the opportunity to thank Richard Clewes and Sonya White, founders of the Rainforest of Reading programme.