Editor’s note: The following is the final of a three-part article. Parts 1. and 2 were published on July 3 and 12, 2025, respectively. This series presents a response to a Gleaner article which was published on June 1, 2025.
In the previous two parts of this article series; we have seen that; with an estimated 6,800 registered students with specialised special education needs, the Jamaica educational system is confronted with major obstacles. At Pembroke Hall High School, a reading crisis has developed whereby seventy percent of seventh-graders struggle to read and many read at the grade-three level. Many students struggle to differentiate letters and some are suspected of having special education needs but remain unassessed due to long wait times at the Mico CARE Centre. The government must act to ascertain the general count of children with or suspected of having a disability, including a learning disability. Hence, the national census must be completed. Early diagnosis is essential for the government to plan for and support children with special needs so they may reach their full potential.
Minister of Education Dr Morris-Dixon is daring to address Jamaica’s literacy issue by bringing reading back as an official subject on the main school curriculum. Starting in September 2025 students in grades 1 through 3 will have dedicated reading times during the school day, a practice dropped in past years. Under whose direction was this sloppy decision taken? The decision to dedicate time for the practice of reading in the new school year was triggered by the recent airing of the literacy challenges at the Pembroke Hall High School. Minister Morris-Dixon stressed that no child should leave primary school unable to read and she supports this with a multi-pronged approach including employing reading experts, expanding diagnostic testing, and even creating a breakfast programme to help children from tough circumstances.
Why was reading taken out in the first place, I would like to ask the Government? Why did you not deal with the teacher attrition including the loss of reading experts who have departed our coastlines? Why did you suddenly start thinking about a breakfast programme when it was well known and discussed in many different fields related to the matter? I assume that many knee-jerk reactions are produced in a frantic attempt to win the approaching general elections.
Why was reading taken out in the first place, I would like to ask the Government? Why did you not deal with the teacher attrition including the loss of reading experts who have departed our coastlines? Why did you suddenly start thinking about a breakfast programme when it was well known and discussed in many different fields related to the matter? I assume that many knee-jerk reactions are produced in a frantic attempt to win the approaching general elections.
Dr Morris-Dixon also advanced the notion that every teacher regardless of their respective specialisation should see himself or herself as a teacher of reading, thus distributing literacy over the curriculum. As this is a whole-system approach, the minister is pushing principals, parents, and school boards to also assume responsibility. This is a major step, one that might shape the future for hundreds of young Jamaicans. A comparison should be made between this initiative and programmes for literacy elsewhere. There should also be an examination of how systems of artificial intelligence might assist with reading development. I pointed out in my previous article titled: Examining the math problem in the Jamaican education system that the projection for teacher attrition this year. It is the arrogant and stubborn stance of the current government which has caused this crisis and now officers are running like chickens with no heads trying to plug a leak with a band aid over a massive gaping wound which needs stitches.
Referring to the recent attempts of the government to address Jamaica’s growing literacy deficit as a “knee-jerk reaction”, the Opposition has criticised the Ministry of Education’s move to reintroduce reading as an official subject in primary schools. Though well-meaning, their concern is that the initiative might lack the institutional transformation and strategic planning needed to address the fundamental causes of the issue. Critics argue that given long-standing issues including underfunded schools, a shortage of competent special education teachers, and inadequate early childhood therapies, the approach looks reactive rather than proactive. They are urging the government to contemplate a more all-encompassing approach includes early diagnosis of learning challenges, greater teacher preparation, and more parental participation.
Against that background, Minister Morris-Dixon has highlighted that this is simply one element of a more comprehensive strategy involving recruiting reading experts and boosting diagnostic testing. The debate now revolves around whether this is a daring first step or a rushed fix. Minister, what is needed is a very comprehensive literacy overhaul that transcends merely placing reading back on the schedules. It is about changing the whole ecology that helps a youngster flourish, read, and write.
Minister, what is needed is a very comprehensive literacy overhaul that transcends merely placing reading back on the schedules. It is about changing the whole ecology that helps a youngster flourish, read, and write.
That could entail the following:
- Early Childhood Interventions:
- Universal pre-primary education availability
- Early screening for developmental delays and learning problems
- Parent education initiatives aimed at encouraging home reading
- Teacher Training & Support:
- Not only language arts experts but also mandatory literacy instruction for every teacher
- Continual professional growth in inclusive education, comprehension techniques, and phonics
- School-based literacy coach deployment
- Phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension comprising a balanced literacy curriculum including assessment reform
- Tools for diagnosing student development and customising instruction
- Including culturally relevant books which will help to captivate students
- Community & Family Engagement:
- Parent and caregiver literacy seminars
- Mobile book drives and libraries for underprivileged areas
- Partnerships with local companies, NGOs, and churches
- Particularly in early grades, smaller class numbers reflect resources and infrastructure.
- Availability of literature, digital tools, and peaceful reading areas
- Funds for examinations and special education programme
Let us now quickly explore how others countries have handled comparable crises:
Strategies from Other Countries Tackling Literacy Challenges
| Country | Strategy Highlights |
| Singapore | National Reading Movement; strong teacher training; early intervention programmes |
| Chile | Literacy-focused curriculum reform; targeted support for low-income communities |
| India (Delhi) | “Happiness Curriculum” to support emotional well-being alongside literacy |
| Canada (BC) | Holistic student development with strong community-school partnerships |
| Ireland | Emphasis on inclusive education and early childhood literacy |
From emotional well-being to family participation, these nations “reimagined the system” to serve the entire child, not only changed the curriculum.
Inspired by world best practices yet anchored in “Our environment, culture, and challenges” a literacy reform strategy specific to Jamaica is needed at this time. A Jamaican literacy renaissance is needed to revolutionise how we deliver literacy to our nation’s children. A national framework for this literacy renaissance can look like this:
Encouraging Literacy in Jamaica
- Early Start, Strong Foundation:
- Work with churches and community centres for developmental assessments and pre-literacy classes.
- Certification in mandatory literacy for teachers in elementary schools.
- National Literacy Corps sends retired teachers and reading specialists for classroom instruction and remedial programmes.
- Culturally Rooted Curriculum:
- Build a library of local texts reflecting Jamaican life and patois peculiarities.
- Support for bilingual learning:
- Include English transition support mixed with Patois.
Monthly events called Weekend Literacy Fairs help to bring reading alive outside of the classroom.
- Tech with Purpose:
- Establish digital literacy laboratories including artificial intelligence reading coaches, audiobooks, and understanding games.
- Low-Tech Access:
- Use local radio audio lessons, WhatsApp reading challenges, SMS assistance for parents.
- Align initiatives with ministries of education, youth, culture, and technology to reflect constant evaluation and policy integration.
To sum up, I would like to list a few suggestions for dealing with this problem. They are:
- Complete the National Census: To give precise data on children in need of special education assistance, expedite and finish the national census.
- Development of Diagnostic and Evaluation Infrastructure: Reduce the backlog and provide reasonable assessments by establishing new diagnostic centres in teacher-training institutes and supporting them with government funds and qualified staff.
- Investing in Staff and Facilities for Special Education: Through scholarships, fund the study of occupational therapy, speech pathology, and special education professionals. Work together with The UWI to grow pertinent departments.
- Reform of Early Childhood Education: Early childhood facilities should be fully integrated, professionally run under government supervision, and have appropriately trained staff.
- Assistance and Financial Support for Families: To guarantee that all children, irrespective of their financial situation, have access to evaluation and therapy; subsidies and financial aid programmes should be expanded.
- Completely implement the recommendations of the Patterson Report.and provide increased government funding
- Provide enough money to support staff training, special education service delivery, and infrastructure development.
- Responsibility and Openness in the Application of Policies: Hold legislators responsible for their promises and set up precise deadlines and reporting procedures for special education projects.
- Public Access and Data Transparency: The number of children with ASD and other special needs who receive funding, therapy, and placement support should be included in yearly reports released by the Ministry of Education.
- Mobile learning devices for interactive reading sessions and tests will help to improve early start, strong foundation.
- Work with Jamaican writers to create age-appropriate anthologies using a culturally rooted curriculum.
- Use “Patois-to-English Transition Cards” and “Interactive Dramatisations” to help bridge understanding for bilingual learning.
- Add “Book N Cook” zones and “Reading Stars Booths” for a mix of literacy and life skills during weekend literacy events.
- Tech with Purpose: For evening reading or vocabulary exercises use literacy chatbots and solar-powered learning kiosks.
- Low-Tech Outreach: For basic reading instructions, use “Story by Starlight” radio programs and a Parent Hotline.
- Create Student Literacy Ambassadors and Parish Literacy Councils for community feedback.
These ideas help me to visualise a lighthouse at the end of the tunnel guiding our literacy crisis.
References
Cochrane, D. (2024, October 7). Examining the math problem in the Jamaican education system. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://leadershipreimagination.com/uncategorized/examining-the-math-problem-in-the-jamaican-education-system/
Datnow, A., Park, V., Peurach, D. J., Spillane, J. P., Juan Bravo, Whitney Hegseth, Jeanne Ho, Devi Khanna, Dennis Kwek, Angela Lyle, Amelia Peterson, Thomas K. Walsh, José Weinstein, & Hwei Ming Wong. (n.d.). Transforming education for holistic student development. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Brookings_Report_Tranforming-ed-for-holistic_FINAL.pdf
Francis, K. (2025, June 10). Pembroke Hall High faces literacy crisis. Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://jamaica- gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20250610/pembroke-hall-high-faces-literacy-crisis#:~:text=More%20than%2070%20per%20cent%20of%20the%20roughly,Reverend%20Claude%20Ellis.%20Alarmingly%2C%20many%20of%20these%20student
Francis, K. (2025, June 12). Reading to be brought back on schools’ timetables, says Morris Dixon. (2025, June 12). Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20250612/reading-be-brought-back-schools-timetables-says-morris-dixon
Dervin Cochrane is a fourth year Doctor of Education Student at the School of Education, The University of the West Indies, Mona.