On Friday, September 6, the Pacific Community unveiled two new literacy resources in celebration of International Literacy Day.
These resources include a regional poetry booklet aimed at enhancing literacy through poetry, suitable for educators and parents across various educational levels. The booklet, titled “Voices of the Pacific Youth: A Literacy Learning Tool,” is designed to support the development of literacy skills.
Ruci Qele, the Pacific Community’s Educational Assessment Specialist for Literacy, emphasized that while the booklet stems from findings of the Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment 2021 cycle—which focuses on Year 4 and Year 6 students—it can also be beneficial for teachers, educators, and parents looking to build foundational literacy skills among Pacific students at any educational level.
Additionally, the Pacific Community introduced the Pacific’s Education Research Bank, a digital platform available on the Pacific Data Hub, which offers access to regional education research and addresses challenges in information management.
The event also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the South Pacific Form Seven Certificate, which is a regional qualification for Year 13 students.
The theme for this year’s Literacy Day was “Enhancing literacy through multilingualism: Promoting peace across the Blue Pacific Continent.”
Plans are in place for the SPC to distribute these new resources to Education Ministries across all 15 member countries.