At times i wonder how can Guyana's literacy rate move from the highest in the Caribbean to the lowest. While trying to figure this out there are quite a few factors that cause this problem of illiteracy.
Guyana without a doubt has a literacy problem. The National Library's main branch has a book club where children meet once a month to discuss books that are relevant for their age. They are given a book to read for one month and meet once per month as a group in their age category at the Library to discuss the book they were assigned. Unfortunately not much of discussion is done since the children don't read their books.
Now, I always wondered why it was so hard for these children the engage in a discussion, then i realised it could have meant that they didn't understand what they were reading. So i asked a few of them to read excerpts from the book and there i heard the true problem. They could not read! Children at the grade 5 and 6 level, who are about to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA.) could not read. Some were just calling words and couldn't understand anything they were reading. This was just a small sample of children from Georgetown imagine what it was like outside of the city where the resources are less than in the city.
Can you imagine a nation of illiterate people?
In further analysis of the quality of education in Guyana, I realise that private school student generally perform much better than public schools. Without a doubt the top student always comes from the public school system. But what must be noted is that not many students of a high standard is produced by the public schools.
Class numbers in any given public school would be between 50-60 students. How can a teacher produce the quality student he/she is required to? People in Guyana always lament the fact that since the government of the 70's took over all the schools from the Catholic church and other faiths, and made all schools co-ed, the education system has declined rapidly.
There are so many reasons one can find for this problem but not as many solutions. But infact there are some very simple ones. Persons can easily voluntary at the National Library or at an orphanage or children institutions. Churches can open Libraries and do a bit of reading for children, youth groups and youth organisations can host elocution contests, spelling bees, and the list goes on. If everyone plays a part Guyanese children will benefit and we'll have a brighter future.
Great Article. The solution to the problem lies at its root. The Family/Immediate environment is responsible for Literacy not the School, or Government, or Church etc....these should just be reinforcements.
ReplyDeleteA school shouldn't be introducing a child to reading, thats what parents are for.
When parents start buying books instead of Phones,Nintendo DS, WI, PS2/3
clothes,movies,etc then we may see an increase in the literacy rate.
Sadly too, is the reality that literacy and reading is not ongoing. Ask the average adult when last they have read a novel, i guess they may contend that reading facebook posts and comments counts as reading..(A truly sad reality we live in)..Read a book/novel today!
I agree with the previous comments. The reality is, though, that many parents will find it challenging despite it is their genuine desire to help their children. This may be attributed to their own illiteracy and more so in these days, the decreased amount of time parents spend with their children due to the demands of work and other stresses of life. We need a national strategy to reignite the fire for reading in both the adult and youth population.
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