Gov’t to place special emphasis on multilingual education in schools

The Ministry of Education’s National Task Force on Literacy will this year place special emphasis on promoting multilingual education in schools.

During a church service to mark International Literacy Day, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Technological, and Vocational Training, Sandra Husbands, emphasised the crucial role of literacy in shaping the future of Barbados. The service, organised by the National Task Force on Education, was held Sunday at the Western Light Church of the Nazarene in St James.

Reflecting on the theme of International Literacy Day 2024, Multilingual Education for Mutual Understanding and Peace, Husbands drew attention to the country’s ongoing struggles with violence and conflict.

In her address, she emphasised the need to foster literacy and parenting skills as essential tools for equipping the next generation to solve societal problems.

Husbands commended various community initiatives aimed at enhancing literacy skills among young people, including the Barbara Bellamy Reading Club and literacy programmes run by local churches. She expressed concern over the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that many children have fallen behind in their reading abilities.

“Our children are not reading at the age level they should be, and this is something that is widespread across our nation,” she said.

The minister stressed the importance of literacy in developing values: “Without it, they cannot learn the values we want them to learn. They cannot understand the Bible, from which they must gain knowledge about how to live. They cannot acquire skills that will help them build a useful life. And when people cannot do that, society will disintegrate.”

Husbands also spoke about the benefits of multilingual education, particularly in countries where children start school in languages different from their household languages. She noted that Barbados is exploring ways to incorporate dialect into the curriculum as a stepping stone to learning English, emphasising the importance of recognising and embracing children’s cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

“Children learn to read and write best in their mother tongue. If they speak dialect, then we need to start there, allowing them to express themselves before teaching them English as a foreign language.”

The minister called on church members and the wider community to engage in efforts to improve literacy. She encouraged volunteers to reach out to the community and inspire children to develop a love for reading. Citing the high levels of illiteracy among inmates, Husbands stressed the urgent need for more support and intervention to break the cycle of crime.

“I want you to intercede for an open pathway to the minds and hearts of our children. If we can make that breakthrough and our warriors are out there providing education and training, we will turn Barbados around — not only for development but for holistic, spiritual, financial, and social development.”

“In the prison, they will tell you that part of the issue with many inmates is that they lack literacy skills, and this is a significant factor,” Husbands added.

The service also featured donations of educational materials to various literacy programmes. Dr Sylvia Henry, Chair of the National Task Force on Literacy, presented a standing writing board to the Barbara Bellamy Reading Club, along with supplies to support the church’s prison ministry. The Rotary Club of Barbados West contributed boxes of books to the church’s literacy initiatives.

The event concluded with a special presentation of books for children and adults, offered to attendees as part of the church’s ongoing commitment to improving literacy in the community. (LGC)