I believe to improve illiteracy the Ministry of Education should first of all evaluate students' reading level when they enter primary school. Afterwards, they should organise programmes within the school hour by getting resource materials and special teachers of reading to assist other teachers by having workshops to implement these programmes.

These teachers would make a report every two months showing students' progress while discussing their improvement and giving an overall evaluation of their performance.

This performance should be compared with other schools to see if the students' performance is a result of their environment or physical challenges.

One should remember that with two teaches in the class, one would be given attention to those who can read or the minister can allow university students who doing courses in remedial reading to assist. This would help them have a first-hand experience of these problems.

I am, etc.,

ANDREA O'CONNOR

awrightoconnor@hotmail.com

May Pen

Clarendon