Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 09, 2009 (SKNIS): Kadeema Blanchette of the Tucker Clarke Primary School is the winner of the local Courts OECS Reading Competition which took place Thursday (October 08) evening.
Miss Blachette who was also representing the Basseterre Zone captured the first place position from four other competitors. The participants each read a prepared passage as well as an unprepared news article. Gabriella Brantley of Ivor Walters Primary, Nevis was the first runner up, Zachary Gonzalves of the George Moody Stewart was second.
Minister of Education, Honourable Sam Condor thanked Courts for partnering with his ministry in such an important venture. He stressed that reading is fundamental to a good education and development as a whole. The Education Minister emphasized to students that through reading one can investigate, enquire and conduct research. He emphasized that reading is basic yet fundamental and the better one can read, the better they can understand. Reading was said to be ‘laying the foundation for an exciting future.
Pearl Williams, Head of the OECS Courts Credit Department explained that Courts OECS wanted to do something in the field of education, especially something that promoted literacy.
Ms. Williams said that this was done against the backdrop of UNESCO’s encouragement of global literacy, due to the fact that one in five adults were illiterate and two-thirds of these were women. She noted that there was also a link between illiteracy and severe poverty as well as one between illiteracy and prejudice against women. As such, Courts OECS decided to play a part in promoting literacy, especially among children.
Ms. Williams explained that each of the OECS territories that has a Courts store, namely, Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and St. Vincent are participating in the competition. The finals, with the winner of each country will then take place later this month in Dominica. As such Miss Blanchette will represent St. Kitts and Nevis.
