The Ministry of Education recently hosted a National Early Learners Sensitization Workshop.

The Early Learners Program intends to address essential aspects of policy and practice in order to improve the reading levels of all learners at the early primary level (grades K to 3).

The Ministry of Education is currently in the second phase of the Early Learners Program (ELP) which focuses mainly on language policy, teacher professional development, and curriculum and assessment.

Dawson Ragunanan, the acting Deputy Chief Education Officer within the Ministry of Education, said: “The ELP continues to provide a targeted approach toward improving reading. For the past few years, especially about two years ago, we have seen the figures improve, and that is very commendable.”

The reading development programme for young learners is being administered by the OECS Commission and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The six beneficiary OECS member states in which the ELP is being implemented are Antigua and Barbuda; Dominica; Grenada; St. Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.