Library Services Director Sally Rosemond sounded the warning as Saint Lucia observes International Literacy Day, pointing particularly to the changing ways children spend their time in an increasingly digital environment. The concern in Saint Lucia forms part of a much wider global education challenge.

The World Bank, UNESCO and UNICEF estimated that 70 per cent of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries could not read and understand a simple written text, compared with 57 per cent before the COVID-19 pandemic. For Latin America and the Caribbean, the estimate was even higher at approximately 80 per cent, up sharply from around 50 per cent before the pandemic. (worldbank.org)

The problem is not confined to developing countries.

The OECD's PISA assessment of almost 700,000 15-year-olds across 81 countries and economies found that average reading performance fell by approximately 10 points between 2018 and 2022—an unprecedented decline equivalent to roughly half a year of learning. (oecd.org)

The OECD has cautioned that COVID-19 alone does not explain the deterioration, since reading performance in several education systems had begun declining before the pandemic.

Against that global backdrop, Rosemond is encouraging Saint Lucian parents to become more directly involved in cultivating reading habits at home rather than treating literacy solely as the responsibility of schools and teachers. The warning comes as the Government continues significant investment in education, including laptops for students, school infrastructure, bursaries, student support and alternative learning pathways.

But access to technology alone does not guarantee improved educational outcomes.

Reading is fundamental to a child's ability to understand Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and virtually every other subject. Weak reading comprehension can therefore affect performance far beyond English Language. The challenge has become increasingly important as children spend more time using smartphones, tablets, gaming platforms and social media.

Technology, however, does not necessarily have to compete with reading.

Digital books, educational applications and online libraries can significantly expand children's access to reading material. Saint Lucia's investment in laptops therefore creates an opportunity to deliberately connect digital education with literacy development.

Schools and public libraries could also strengthen reading challenges, digital-library access, storytelling programmes, family literacy activities and partnerships with parents and communities.

The issue ultimately extends beyond examination results. Children who read consistently strengthen their vocabulary, comprehension, communication and critical-thinking skills while developing the ability to learn independently.

The international figures provide a warning for the region, but they also create an opportunity for Saint Lucia to act early. As the country invests more heavily in education and technology, the challenge is not to choose between books and screens. It is to ensure that technology becomes another pathway to reading rather than a reason children stop reading.