Dominican schools to benefit from grant to improve reading

Fifteen schools in Dominica will benefit from a US$36,000 grant to implement projects to improve the reading levels students in Grade K-3.
The funds are being made available under the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Early Learners Programme (ELP), implemented in partnership with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
The Castries based OECS Commission says that through the Special Grant for Sustainable Reading Enhancement Initiative, schools will each receive individual grants of up to US$2,400.The grant is part of the Enhancing School Improvement Component of the ELP that provides school-based teams with the opportunity to develop innovative reading enhancement programmes.
In the case of Dominica, these special grants are also intended to provide support to the schools that experienced losses as a result of Hurricane Maria.
Last week, a ceremony was held in Dominica to commemorate the grants that will be awarded to the 15 beneficiary schools.
In addressing the ceremony, USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean’s Education Development Officer, Simone Brown, noted that through the ELP, USAID collaborates with the OECS to support 58 schools, over 280 classrooms, and nearly 4200 students in Dominica to improve reading performance.