Kingston, February 5, 2025 — World Read Aloud Day™ (WRAD) is in its 15th year of encouraging reading to improve literacy skills, foster empathy, and create a lifelong love of reading.
The CHASE Fund observed the day with the presentation of 90 books to the Jamaica Library Service (JLS) and by reading to enthusiastic students at the Jamaica China Goodwill Infant School and the St. Michael’s Infant School, both located in Kingston. The schools also received books for their libraries.
Rachael McDonald, Chair of the CHASE Fund Education Committee, noted that the Fund has been a strong proponent of literacy especially at the early childhood education level. “The work we do to promote literacy is critical and we wanted to celebrate World Read Aloud Day through this donation of books to the JLS to encourage reading and to support the JLS in its work,” she said.
Maureen Thompson, Director General of the JLS, thanked the Fund for the books and the continued partnership which has spanned many years. “Receiving books is a part of our mandate and we are happy to be a part of this global initiative of World Read Aloud Day which aligns with our mission,” she said.
Research has shown that reading aloud helps build vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills, as well as promotes empathy, self-awareness, and social skills. Many of the books presented to the schools and the JLS were authored by Jamaicans such as media personality Paula-Ann Porter Jones who penned “Sandy, Tosh and the Moo Cow”.
The CHASE Fund focuses on building infant schools and resource centres; equipping and upgrading early childhood institutions; health screening and providing scholarships for specialist training in Early Childhood Education.
