"The three-tiered programme . . . is designed to build literacy skills from three perspectives. It has a pre-school literacy component, a staff literacy component, and a family literacy component," Saul said.

She emphasised that since young children were initiated into reading and writing through early "observation and interaction" with others as they engaged in literacy activities, it was essential to establish a network of persons to nurture this. In light of the "changing dynamics in the society" where toddlers spent a great deal of time with pre-school caregivers, Saul said, the Leap Into Reading programme would be invaluable.

Minister of Community Development and Culture, Steve Blackett, who attended the function, said that the literacy programme was in keeping with Government's mandate "to educate, train, motivate and mobilise all of its people to build a just society and a well organised nation". (MS)