The Ministry of Education commenced hosting what it called pivotal early reading intervention training sessions for teachers, as part of its nationwide strategy to improve literacy outcomes among Jamaica’s youngest learners.

The training, which kicked off on June 23, is part of a broader initiative targeting over 13,000 Grades 1–3 teachers across 986 public and private primary-level institutions. This programme is a key element of the ministry’s education transformation agenda, which prioritises foundational literacy and supports the delivery of a structured, 60-minute daily reading block in schools, which will also impact grades four to six using the discrete approach.

The sessions cover multisensory teaching techniques, guided reading, interactive read-alouds, scaffolded spelling, and strategies to support struggling readers, including those with special education needs.

“This training marks a renewed commitment to ensuring every child becomes a confident reader,” said Terry-Ann Thomas Gayle, acting chief education officer. “We are investing in our teachers because they are at the heart of this transformation. When teachers are well-equipped, our children thrive.”

These sessions follow a recent three-day Trainer of Teachers Workshop in Montego Bay, which convened a multidisciplinary team of curriculum officers, literacy specialists, college lecturers, and digital learning experts.

In light of public concerns regarding reading being “removed” from school timetables, the ministry clarified that reading has always been a key strand within the Language Arts curriculum. While not always listed as a standalone subject on timetables, reading has consistently been taught having been integrated into structured language instruction both at the primary and secondary level.

Through the integrated approach, we achieved 65.1 per cent mastery, 30.2 per cent near mastery and 4.7 per cent non-mastery in the 2024 sitting of the national literacy test. In order to remedy the gaps, the ministry has decided to modify the strategy by timetabling reading as a discrete area, to be explicitly
delivered and supported by strong teacher training. This is about reinforcing what matters most in early education in a targeted manner.

The training being executed by the ministry is aligned with the National Standards Curriculum (NSC) and emphasises core reading sub-strands, including word recognition and vocabulary development, comprehension and literature, and research and study skills. The programme also promotes the use of data-driven instruction and the integration of digital and AI tools to modernise reading practices.

Teachers will continue to receive school-based coaching and post-training support throughout the academic year, including peer check-ins, classroom monitoring, and reflective sessions led by master trainers and regional officers.