Encourage children to read again

WITH fast advancing technology, children are surrounded with all types of gadgets including smartphones, iPhones, iPads and iBooks. Long gone are the days when one would see children with an actual book, with pages, looking at pictures and sounding out letters trying to form words.

The non-governmental organisation (NGO) Let’s Read, in collaboration with the North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA), recently launched the Book a Baby programme at the Children’s Assessment Unit (CAU) in Barataria, to encourage children to start reading books again.

Let’s Read became an official NGO on April 27, 2017, after seven years of collaborating with primary schools across TT. Its mission is to promote literacy in primary schools by encouraging the love of reading through its partnership with principals and teachers.

This partnership creates functioning school libraries with access to high-quality books that cater to the needs of every student. Lets Read has partnered with and continues to support over 25 primary schools since its formation in 2010.

Let’s Read will be providing reading material for children from infants to 16-year-olds. The organisation has been working with the Education Ministry providing books for primary schools.

“Let’s Read will donate books to hospitals, clinics and health centres so children will have something to read while they wait to be seen. The NWRHA is the first health organisation it has collaborated with and we decided to start with the CAUs in Barataria and St James.”

Alleyne said the CAU was an essential part of the health care in the NWRHA which saw about 10,000 children annually.

“Literacy is a national issue and this initiative is one that will promote literacy. We have many adults who do not know how to read and our children are more involved with computers. We have to try and be innovative because technology has put us at a disadvantage. Let’s Read will continue with the programme with other RHAs.