The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), in partnership with the Ministry of Education's, educational transformation team, launched a poster and essay competition under the international theme, "Literacy is the best Remedy".

The launch, in collaboration with the Jamaica Foundation for Life-long Learning, observed international literacy day at a conference held recently at the Jamaica Employer's Federation, New Kingston. Several efforts are under way to facilitate the social development status of Jamaica by 2030, by improving the current literacy rate of 79.9 per cent.

Literacy is key

In order to attain this target, UNESCO Education Programme Manager Paolo Fontani stressed that "literacy is at the heart of any nation's development". He highlighted that improved literacy among adults would increase awareness regarding diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS. Fontani disclosed that Caribbean neighbour Cuba, has full literacy, at 99.8 per cent, and has the lowest rate of HIV at 0.1 per cent in the southern hemisphere.

Fontani said it is possible the people who are illiterate are those who have passed the age of schooling.

"By improving the schooling and the quality of teaching in school, for those who go through the system, literacy will increase, but we need to have an inclusive approach to meet the needs of those who are vulnerable", he said.

Laurel Brent-Harris, national literary coordinator from the education transformation team, said that the objectives of the month- long campaign is to establish partnerships to foster the ministry of education's target of 85 per cent literacy, with persons reading at or above the grade four level by 2015.