KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has underscored the critical importance of reading, saying it is essential for citizens to realize their fullest potential as economic agents in today’s society.
He said that when the vast majority of a population possesses the ability to read, literacy can be regarded as a public good, one that governments worldwide should actively pursue and enshrine as a fundamental right.
“We want to ensure that all our citizens can read. Otherwise, they will not be able to fully and effectively participate in society and unlock all the value that they should be able to get. Reading is critical,” Holness said in recognition of Read Across Jamaica Day.
Speaking with the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) on Tuesday after reading the book titled ‘I Have Feelings’, by Cathryn O’Sullivan, to infant and primary-school students from Kingston and St. Andrew, Prime Minister Holness cautioned that reading is often taken for granted, pointing out that some parents mistakenly assume that once a child learns to speak, the ability to read will naturally follow.
He said that it is often only when the child begins to advance through different stages of the education system that their inability to read becomes apparent and, in some cases, underlying physical or intellectual disabilities are also discovered.
The Prime Minister said this is why the annual Read Across Jamaica Day recognition is important.
“Read Across Jamaica is a point in time where the nation celebrates and brings into focus the issue of reading. It is designed to get parents and the entire society to focus on the very important human skill of reading,” Holness said, adding that reading is more than counting and recognizing words; it is about comprehension and the articulation of thoughts.
“That is not something that is widely spread throughout the society… [but it] is a higher order skill that we want people to develop as they read,” he said, highlighting other benefits of reading, including therapy, and the development of diverse skills.
Read Across Jamaica Day is being observed as part of Education Week 2026, running from May 3 to 9, under the theme ‘Literacy Resilience: Foundation of Nation-Building’.
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