A number of new features have been added to the national primary schools reading competition, sponsored by furniture and appliance giant Courts St Vincent Limited, making the event bigger and better this year.{{more}}

At the official media launch on Wednesday, on the company’s showroom floor, Marketing Officer Alexis John proudly announced that a number of new sponsors have graciously accepted the offer to be a part of the fourth edition of the competition, which is highly anticipated by primary school students, their parents and teachers, around St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“For the first time on board is Karib Cable, and the winner will get one year free Internet. Also, we have GECCU (General Employees Cooperative Credit Union), and the seven finalists will receive saving accounts from GECCU …. The winner of the competition gets to read news on NBC Radio; this is also for the first time….

“I am happy to say … that they came on board at a very short notice, and we are extremely happy to say that they see this competition as a natural fit, and are joining the fight to ensure that we challenge illiteracy in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

John also announced that the traditional sponsors have shown their commitment to the competition, with prizes from Dental Care SVG and Searchlight newspaper. The winner will also be featured on an airing of the SVG TV news, and every participant in the competition will receive a book from Jujube bookstore.

Apart from the new sponsors, John pointed out that the $2,000 cash prize, which is given to the winning student’s school, will now be used for the promotion of a literacy program at that institution.

“This year, we want to ensure that that cash goes towards a literacy project in that school … as a result of the mandate of this competition, and in line with the objective of the Ministry of Education, in terms of challenging illiteracy in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The winning school must develop a literacy project, and of course, this must be in keeping with the guidelines of the Ministry of Education,” John said.

“The winner of this year’s competition will also get the right to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines at the regional finals in Dominica on November 15, and second place will walk away with $750, and third place $500,” he added.

John also added that this year’s finals will see seven students instead of nine, vying for the number one spot.

He said that this was to ensure that the best readers are selected for the finals, and would give this country a greater chance of winning the regional competition.

The preliminary competition is slated to take place on October 3 and 4 at the Curriculum Development Unit conference room in Kingstown, with the finals being held on October 23.

Head of the Curriculum Unit in the Ministry of Education Aldia Gumbs-Dyer, speaking at the launch, thanked Courts for playing their part in the fight against illiteracy, through the hosting of the competition, and the other sponsors for the role they are playing in the event, and called on other organizations to join in the fight against illiteracy.

“On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I express gratitude for their direct involvement in educating the nation’s youth. Some other ways in which we can support our schools’ reading process is to adopt a school or assist the parent in support programs that are held by a number of schools,” she pointed out.

Dyer outlined the rules of the competition, which state that competing students must be between eight and nine years old, and will each read an unseen narrative text, and a news item.

Also speaking at the launch, were representatives from Karib Cable and Jujube bookstore.

Elroy Edwards, representing Karib Cable, announced that apart from one year’s Internet, free installation and a wireless modem had been included in the package, and reaffirmed his company’s passion for the development of education in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Chief Executive Officer of Jujube Michelle Samuel said that her bookstore remains committed to initiatives that promote literacy throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines.(JJ)