Donation of books by Scholastic, Inc.

Remarks by Deputy Chief of Mission, United States Embassy

Thomas C. Tighe at the

Donation of books by Scholastic, Inc.

Caribbean Center for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETT)

St. Joseph's Teachers' College, Kingston

January 21, 2004

I am delighted to join you today as we celebrate a further step in the U.S.-Jamaica partnership, the Caribbean Center for Excellence in Teacher Training (CETT), in a very concrete way - through this generous donation of books from Scholastic, Inc.  Books are an indispensable tool.  They are the backbone of our educational systems and help to instill in children a lifelong love of reading and learning.

I am very pleased to recognize our valuable collaboration with the University of the West Indies and the Jamaican Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture on the CETT project.  Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the CETT is one of the planks of the Third Border Initiative announced by President George W. Bush at the Third Summit of the Americas in Quebec City in April, 2001.  The Third Border Initiative is a package of targeted programs that seeks to focus new funding and assistance in specific areas of cooperation.  The United States and Caribbean nations, meeting at the Special Summit of the Americas in Monterrey last week, noted that the TBI "recognizes the special significance of the Caribbean as an important partner of the United States and seeks to build on the long history of constructive engagement" between our countries.  In their joint statement on the issue, our nations also acknowledged the critical importance of affordable, quality education and training for economic growth, social development, and the reduction of poverty in the region.  In other words, education is key to our hemisphere's continued development.

Now, back to the books.  Scholastic is the largest publisher of children's books in the United States.  Scholastic believes in literacy as the foundation of learning.  And Scholastic is a wonderful corporate citizen.  Through its contributions and donations the company seeks to improve reading skills among all children, including the most needy in our society.  Scholastic also fosters high educational standards through the sponsorship of programs like the U.S. National Teacher of the Year Program. 

Following discussions with USAID last year, the company made a commitment to donate 150,000 children's books valued at approximately 750,000 U.S. Dollars to the Caribbean CETT over a three-year period.  This month, the first donation of 50,000 books will be on the shelves of classroom libraries in Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize and Guyana.  I hope that they will soon be checked out and in students' hands!  Scholastic will donate 50,000 books in 2005 and again in 2006. 

The involvement of a key corporate partner of this caliber in the CETT program will stimulate private sector interest in the United States and the Caribbean.  By showing true commitment, Scholastic has set a shining example for other corporate entities to follow.  Indeed, local private sector partners are now consolidating agreements in support of the Caribbean CETT. 

The Caribbean CETT has certainly hit the ground running this year.  Project Director Professor Errol Miller recently met with educators from six Caribbean nations to approve a work plan for implementation.  CETT college lecturers and reading specialists attended a four-day workshop in Montego Bay earlier this month to receive training in the effective use of classroom libraries and enhance their understanding of phonemic awareness, and  strengthen their capacity to train teachers to teach reading more effectively.  Feasibility studies for using wireless technology in St. Lucia and St. Vincent begin next month.

U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige quoting from the ancient Greeks said it best, "Education is freedom."  Reading is the key that unlocks this freedom, opening up endless possibilities for our young children.  President Bush said: "Reading is the new civil right."  If a child cannot read, he cannot do Math; he cannot aspire to become a scientist; he cannot understand our world's complex history.  The CETT partnership, by sharpening reading skills, strengthens this freedom, this right for our children.  With the support of companies like Scholastic the future of Jamaica's children looks a little brighter.

Thank you.