US commits US$1 million to improve literacy in Dominica

The United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is committing US$ 1 million over the next two years to improve literacy in all of Dominica’s primary schools.

On Wednesday, November 28, 2007, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica and the Government of the United States of America was signed at the Evergreen Hotel in Roseau.

United States Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Her Excellency, Mary Ourisman signed on behalf of the United States government and the Minister for Education, Hon. Vince Henderson signed on behalf of the Dominica government.

Through the USAID-financed Caribbean Centres of Excellence in Teacher Training (C-CETT) programme, which has already been introduced in seven other Caribbean countries, students from Grades 1 to 3 in Dominica’s sixty-three (63) primary schools will participate fully in the programme.

The Programme offers training and follow-up support to teachers, with a view to making them better reading instructors. The Programme will be implemented under the overall guidance of the Country Project Advisory Committee (CPAC) chaired by the Chief Education Officer. The Chief Education Officer also serves as the Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Dominica State College(DSC) and this is expected to strengthen the interface between the Ministry of Education and the DSC in overseeing project implementation.

Five Reading Specialists will be seconded to the Programme from the curriculum staff of the Ministry of Education where there is a core of persons who have already been trained to provide similar services.

The Caribbean Centres of Excellence in Teacher Training(C-CETT) programme is the brainchild of US President Mr. George W. Bush in response to the problem of illiteracy in several English-speaking Caribbean countries.

On June 20, 2007, President Bush announced the intention of the United States Administration to expand the C-CETT programme. The announcement was made in a joint statement issued in conjunction with a meeting between CARICOM leaders and the US President in Washington DC.

Also in attendance at the launching and signing ceremony were acting Prime Minister, Hon. Ambrose George, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Jennifer Wallace-Lafond, Chief Education Officer, Mr. Stephenson Hyacinth, other officials from the Ministry of Education, Director of Admissions/Financial Aid at the Dominica State College, Mr. Henry Volney, officials from USAID, Professor Stafford Griffith, Director, Caribbean C-CETT, Principal of the Grand Bay Primary School, Mrs. Shirley Samuel, other principals and pupils of the St. Mary’s Primary School and the Goodwill Primary School.