Primary school students here are set to benefit from an Early Learners Program (ELP) as this nation is among six OECS member states in which the new innovation program will be administered.
Funded by the OECS Commission and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the ELP is aimed at significantly improving the reading ability of students from kindergarten to grade 3, and will also improve the professional development qualities of teachers at these lower classes, to further enhance the quality of teaching through learner-centered approaches. Participating schools will also be equipped with the requisite resources to increase the number of students reading at or above their class level.
The main idea is that if students are able to read at or above their primary grade level they will be better prepared to successfully negotiate education programs at the higher primary and secondary levels. The ELP is expected to ultimately help to advance the socio economic development of the selected member states.
According to OECS Director General Didacus Jules the ELP initiative will not only uphold the quality of education as a fundamental human right but it is also a critical investment in improving economic and social fabric of the OECS. The other five (5) OECS member states are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia.
