The Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) brought stories to life for students at Mountain View Primary School on Tuesday (May 5) as part of activities to mark Read Across Jamaica Day 2026.
The Bureau’s participation underscores its commitment to education, literacy and national development, reinforcing its role as a partner in Jamaica’s educational journey from early childhood through to tertiary access.
In an interview with JIS News, Executive Director, SLB, Nickeisha Walsh, said the Bureau views its involvement as an investment in the nation’s future.
“While our core is financing students at the tertiary level, literacy is the foundation at the primary level for students who want to pursue tertiary education. This initiative is SLB’s commitment to financing and supporting students throughout their educational journey,” Ms. Walsh said.
Students were engaged with stories from a book produced by the SLB, called Nia’s BIG Choice, that is aimed at promoting financial literacy at the primary level.
Meanwhile, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Fayval Williams, who also read to the students, emphasised the importance of literacy as a critical life skill.
“It opens the eyes of the students to the world through different books, through different medium. If you cannot read, obviously you’re very limited in what you can do. We have to encourage reading from as early as you can.
I’ve read books that say, you know, mothers who are pregnant should be reading to the child while the child is in the womb,” Minister Williams said.
She also encouraged parents, guardians and grandparents to foster a love of reading among children.
“Obviously, the more you can read, the further in life you will go, and we want to encourage reading throughout all of our schools. As a country, we’ve dedicated this day as Read Across Jamaica Day, and I know many entities, many corporate entities, many government entities are doing what you are doing. I want to thank the Students’ Loan Bureau for their efforts. We’re at Mountain View Primary School today and the reception among the children is wonderful,” she added.
Chairman of the SLB, Steven Gooden, noted that the initiative aligns with the Bureau’s mandate to support access to education and opportunity.
“By starting at the primary level, what it does is help to set the foundation so that the youngsters can progress further through secondary and tertiary education in particular. Teaching concepts at this stage as it relates to needs versus wants and how you save to cover your needs and have access for wants later down are very important concepts as these youngsters grow into adults,” Mr. Gooden said.
Read Across Jamaica Day, observed during Education Week, is designed to promote reading and literacy across the island, helping young Jamaicans to develop an appreciation for books and storytelling.
