The Editor, Sir:

I must respond to a letter to the editor published in The Gleaner of June 30. I understand the writer's concern about non-reading parents and their relative inability to help their children learn to read. It is a very grave problem that needs attention.

The writer's suggestion of Internet reading resources is not a bad one. However, the non-reading parents are likely to be the ones without access to the Internet, unless the writer is saying that schools should take up the responsibility of making sure students access these sites at school. I'm not sure how simple a task this would be, in light of the fact that schools with non-readers are usually schools which don't have the infrastructure for such an undertaking. Additionally, learning to read needs attention outside of the school setting, maybe even more than inside.

I believe the problem lies in the fact that too many parents do not understand the importance of their being an indispensable ingredient in their children's learning. Children whose parents show no interest in education are much more likely to adopt the same attitude. If parents don't care about homework, and allow and/or encourage their children to vegetate in front of the television or simply play during free time, we must expect them to neglect their books (assuming they have any).

RIGHT ROUTE

I was glad to see that the writer didn't go the route of blaming the teachers and schools for the state of our youth's educational quality. Because, we must not ignore the place parents need to occupy in their children's learning.

When, somehow, we manage to convince the Jamaican populace (readers or non-readers) of where they need to stand - providing they accept it - we will see a phenomenal improvement in student reading ability and overall school performance.

I am, etc.,

MONIQUE WHITE

mwhite@stu.ncu.edu.jm