Summer Literacy Camps a great success.

Senator Mary Moran has commended all those primary school students who participated in the Department of Education and Skills week-long English and Irish language literacy summer camps. “The Programme for Government includes strategies for improving literacy and numeracy skills and the provision of these summer camps is a fantastic way of engaging children in activities that involve reading, communication, writing and maths. The summer break can see reading and writing skills decline if children don’t have the opportunity to practise their skills. The activities offered in the camps help to reinforce what has been learned during the school year and prepare for the return to school in September. All this takes place in a supportive and fun environment with activities such as art, drama, music and dance helping to explore the literacy and numeracy skills. I was delighted to present certificates to participants in summer literacy camps in Scoil Eoin Báiste and St. Joseph’s  in Dundalk and I would like to congratulate the teachers who co-ordinated these camps, Patricia Marmion and Muirne Lawlor. The children were obviously enjoying all the activities provided, and the staff had made a tremendous effort to ensure the success of the projects.

The provision of €335,000 in funding for the English and Irish literacy camps in 2012 demonstrates that this government is committed to improving standards of literacy and numeracy in primary schools so that children will have the best possible chance of achieving their potential in their future lives. This year 1,512 children participated in the English language camps and 1,000 in the Campaí Samhraidh”