UNESCO, assisted by the Ministry of Education & Human Resource Development, hosted a Literary Caravan and Festival in the town of St George, at the Bruce Street Courtyard, on 18 October 2017.
Two literary caravans traveled from St Patrick to St George, sharing reading materials and literary content on the way. The event culminated at the Bruce Street Mall for the official exposition of work, distribution of books to children in attendance and prizegiving.
Speaking at the event, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, Aaron Francois, urged all present to make literacy a top priority.
The event included the reading of prose and poetry pieces composed by students from secondary and primary schools, as well as readings of original work from ministry officials. Students won prizes for themselves and their schools.
A grade 2 student from the Grand Roy Government School, read a group poem on well-known Educator Jeanette Du Bois, while the primary school winner of the writing competition, Dwight Gibbs Jr, of the St Andrews Methodist School, read his winning piece on his unsung Hero, Oscar ‘Chest’ Andall.
“Mr Chest gives selflessly of himself — his talent, his time and his money — in ensuring that young people like me get an opportunity to learn the game of soccer. He claims that he gets his honors from the most high, and doesn’t fuss about material things,” Dwight read. For his efforts, Dwight won a 10” Android tablet, plus $250, from the GUT Cooperative Credit Union.
Ky-Mani Ambrose of the Grenada Boys Secondary School placed 1st in the secondary school category, receiving a fully loaded touch screen laptop computer and $300, also from the GUT Cooperative Credit Union, who sponsored both 1st place prizes.
“Revered by an entire village, royalty would be an understatement to her status. Mother of nine — adopted mother of countless — with a supernatural ability to distribute love and compassion to each and every one of us, without showing signs of having a favourite. At the very least, I’ll have to say I’ve just portrayed a watered-down version of a matriarch, my unsung hero, my grandmother, Irene Johnson,” Ky-mani read.
Deanne Francis Thomas, Literary Curriculum Officer, said, “We were very pleased that many of the persons who sent in entries really looked at the unsung heroes in the community and for that, we are thankful.”
In 2nd and 3rd place from the River Sallee and Grand Roy Government Primary Schools, respectively, were Delonya Francis, winning an 8” Android tablet and $150, and a group of Grade 2 students, winning a 7” Android tablet and $100. The St Andrews Anglican Secondary School won the 2nd and 3rd place prizes at the secondary school level, with submissions by Tori Calliste, who won an iPad and $200 and Shaunte Dixon, who won an Android tablet and $150, respectively. Both top performing schools received a projector.
Approximately 250 students, teachers and education personnel participated in this event. The 2017 Calypso Monarch, Rootsman Kelly, also made an appearance to entertain the young audience.
Ministry of Education
