Literacy and Numeracy are essential skills which serve as building blocks of education, and they are essential for the development of individuals, communities, and the nation as a whole.
This were the sentiments shared by the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms Selina Kuruleca during the weeklong Literacy and Numeracy Festival initiative at Christian Mission Fellowship (CMF) School in Tacirua.
While elaborating on the theme for the Literacy and Numeracy Festival, “Unlocking Limitless Potential Through Literacy Art”, Ms Kuruleca stated that Literacy art is a powerful tool that can unlock limitless potentials in individuals and communities.
PS Kuruleca highlighted the importance of parental and guardian support in ensuring consistency across the board. She noted this involvement is crucial for monitoring children's progress, including supervising homework, participating in Parent-Teacher Interviews (PTIs), and providing overall support throughout their school life.
She also stated that to tackle the challenges posed by Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (LANA) results, students can adopt simple strategies which include maintaining discipline, beginning each day with meaningful prayer, completing chores, preparing for school, attending regularly, staying engaged while at school, and seeking help from teachers when explanations are unclear.
Each year approximately 38,500 students sit for the LANA tests where tests are conducted at Year 5 and 7.
In return, LANA data offers valuable insights into the educational progress of young Fijians, providing vital information to schools, parents, government, and non-government sectors.
The Literacy and Numeracy Festival was a platform for the students and teachers at CMF Primary to research, prepare and present significant features of their allocated country whilst simultaneously learning how to read, analyse and comprehend the text that they read and doing some basic Maths.