Children need to put down their playstations, step away from the TV and pick up a book, which is why one middle school dedicated an entire day to reading.

John Duncan, the English Language and Resource teacher at T.N. Tatem Middle School (formerly Spice Valley School) in Warwick organised the Literacy Day hoping to encourage students to pick up books.

The committee included Conder Romain, an M3 English teacher, Serena Iris, an MI teacher and Pamela Coleman, the Reading teacher.

Drawing from a range of classes was what Mr. Duncan wanted to do to bring the whole school together in its annual Literacy Day.

He said: "The purpose of this basically is to introduce children to different genres of literature and so they understand it's a necessary skill in the twenty first century.

"We have been stressing this with the children from the beginning of the year.

"This afternoon we are going to shut down the school at 1 p.m. and it will be their time to read."

The day started with an assembly where some of the children performed a literacy song and a few words from the Minister of Education, Randolph Horton.

After the assembly he said: "I think it's very important to have laid the importance of literacy and how it links to success in anything you do in life.

"We would have less fights between the young people if they read and broadened their minds. If you want to know who you are you have to read.

"You have to read to know your history and how you got here. I encouraged them to watch less TV and read more; when they're on the bus, on the way to school, just pick up a book."

Before the students had half an hour dedicated to reading, they had time to pick up books from different vendors and the Bermuda Youth Library and listen to 12 speakers.

Two of those speakers were Dr. Muriel Smith, an educator and who Mr. Duncan calls an 'Africanologist', and Jennifer Hind, The Royal Gazette's Education Service Coordinator.

The day will finish with a literacy jingle competition and award ceremony.

Shaehley Saltus, 13 and in M3, said she had really enjoyed the ceremony and thoroughly enjoyed reading books.

She said: "The assembly was pretty cool and kinda exciting cause everybody was dancing, singing and people were laughing. I read often. I like books, both fiction and non-fiction and biology and stuff."