By Dr Desryn T. A. Collins
In the world of 2025, a time marked by an unprecedented conflagration of superlative developments, the ability to read, write, and think critically is not merely an essential skill – it is a powerful tool for fostering integrity, empathy, and respect in society.
In recent times, Antigua and Barbuda, like many other nations, has faced challenges related to misinformation, social conflicts, abuse of authority and a growing need for ethical leadership. This year, the theme for the National Literacy Festival: Promoting Responsible Expression: Literacy for Integrity, Empathy, and Respectspeaks directly to these issues. While we continue to blaze the literacy trail, encouraging consistent attention to the importance of literacy and investment in programmes that safeguard the literacy development of all citizens, we must also ignite a passion for communication that is characterised by integrity, empathy and respect.
Literacy is the foundation of personal success and national prosperity. It is universally acknowledged that students who read at or above their grade level perform better academically. Those students whose names populate Principals’ Lists and Honour Rolls are good readers, often avid readers. Students must develop the skills to negotiate texts from all genres, particularly informational texts if they are to excel at school and secure success beyond the classroom. The importance of literacy, though, extends far beyond the classroom.
The recent report from the World Bank which contends that the education system in the Caribbean is in crisis also predicts a dismal future for the region if the current trend is not reversed. Notwithstanding the fact that the very World Bank claims the literacy level in Antigua and Barbuda is 99%, that report should not be disregarded. Neither can we ignore the data from our National Assessments and the performance of our students at the CSEC examinations. If unsatisfactory exam performance points to literacy challenges, then we have a serious issue. A literate society is a productive society. The converse is also true. Individuals with strong literacy skills are more likely to secure meaningful employment, contribute to economic growth, and participate actively in community and national affairs. Countries with high literacy rates tend to have lower crime rates, better healthcare outcomes, and stronger democratic institutions. We should never underestimate the value of literacy.
Unfortunately, we often separate our efforts to advance personally from our responsibility to each other. We strive for economic prosperity while we set flames to social harmony. Yet, literacy should facilitate effective interaction and communication, the essence of social harmony. True literacy should awaken us to our responsibility to interact with each other and communicate with integrity, empathy and respect. When we interact with integrity, we prioritise moral uprightness, we make a distinction between truth and falsehood and we do not participate in the spreading of fake news.
Empathy ensures that people understand and respect different viewpoints, promoting unity rather than division. None of us can doubt the need for a higher level of empathy in our society. Respect, too, is sadly lacking in many of our interactions and in how we communicate. When we respect each other, we treat each other with consideration, and we have regard for the viewpoints of others even when we disagree. We never insult, slander or shame our fellowmen. Yes! We must express ourselves as literate people; but, we must do so with respect, with empathy and with integrity. This year, we want to refocus the nation’s attention to these values as essential elements of a progressive and inclusive society.
As we celebrate National Literacy Festival in our schools, and as Antigua and Barbuda continues on a path of development, every citizen must recognise that literacy is a shared responsibility. Schools play a fundamental role in teaching reading and writing, but the process must be reinforced at home and in the community. Parents, guardians, and community leaders must foster a culture where children and adults alike see literacy as a lifelong skill that opens doors to knowledge, opportunity, and civic engagement. All sectors of society must actively participate in the push to advance literacy and promote integrity, empathy and respect in the way we interact with each other. We must build a society in which every man, woman and child thinks critically, communicates effectively, and engages responsibly with the world.
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