PNCR Leader Robert Corbin says parents need to encourage their children to take advantage of the opportunities offered in the Sophia Literacy Project which concluded its vacation programme for the year.
Corbin congratulated the organisers of the programme for their hard work in making it a reality. He also emphasised the need for parents to give their full support to their children and encourage them to take advantage of the opportunities the programme offers. Corbin pointed out that the country faces a major literacy problem, particularly in the villages. He said he was pleased that Health and Education Relief for Guyana (HERG) had extended their service to education and had endorsed the project.
A press release said the closing ceremony for the 2008 July/August Vacation Pro-gramme was hosted on Friday at Congress Place. It opened with a prayer by National Executive of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement Maureen Philadelphia, followed by the Welcome and Opening Remarks by MP Africo Selman who also chaired the proceedings. Programme Coordinator of the Literacy Project Carol Corbin then delivered the Progress Report; an evaluation of the programme.
PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke, Vice-Chairman and MP Basil Williams, and MPs Ernest Elliot, Keith Scott, E Lance Carberry, Yvonne Harewood-Benn, other members of the Central Executive Committee and special invitees attended the ceremony. The audience was entertained with songs and dances performed by the children of the Sophia Literacy Project. The children were issued with certificates and gifts of school supplies. President and Founder of HERG Dr Wayne Sampson delivered the closing remarks during which he pledged to support the Project. A vote of thanks was then given by Lyris Primo.
According to the release the Project which began on July 5 falls under the purview of the PNCR’s Youth Empower-ment Scheme programme. There are 180 children in the Project from the ages of four to 14. The Project hosts a Summer school and a Saturday school. At the Saturday programme children are taught phonics, craftwork, and conventional academic subjects. Nine teachers and one assistant are assigned to this school. The Summer school entails physical education.
