Primary schools in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique are to benefit from a new reading programme from the Ministry of Education.

Details of the Caribbean Center of Education for Teacher Training (CCETT) programme were disclosed to reporters Tuesday at a press conference at the Ministerial Complex atthe botanical Gardens in St. George’s.

Director of CCETT Professor Errol Miller described CCETT as an initiative of U.S President, George Bush and the project is being funded through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Professor Miller, who is attached to the Teacher Education unit at the University of the West Indies, Mona Jamaica, disclosed that the regional institution was selected as the headquarters for the initiative.

He said the objective of the programme which started in October 2002 is, to improve the teaching of reading in grades one to three in primary schools.

The programme not only targets students but those teachers who teach reading in the primary schools to improve on their teaching techniques.

Professor Miller said that schools that are disadvantaged, and receive the lowest percentage in examinations are also targeted by the programme.

CCETT personnel will go into the identified schools, where they will have dialogue with teachers to find out what they think could be adopted into the programme.

Under the programme, students will also be tested at the beginning of each school year to determine their strengths and weaknesses.

CCETT Director indicated that an information Communication Technology format which means the use of video and DVD classes will be used to carry out some aspects of the programme.

He pointed out that five countries in the Caribbean were originally targeted for the programme, but recently Grenada, Barbados and Trinidad have signed up for CCETT.

Professor Miller that Grenada volunteered for CCETT in 2004, but the programme was stalled by Hurricane Ivan.

In Grenada and Carriacou and Petite Martinique, 18 schools were identified for CCETT and it is scheduled to start September next year.

There has been great improvement in countries where the programme is being implemented, he reported.