Campaign for a refreshed adult literacy strategy
The link between enhanced literacy levels, basic skills and wider social and economic development is well accepted both in Ireland and internationally. There is a recognition that those with low or no qualifications have benefitted least from investment in vocational education and training, are most vulnerable to unemployment and social exclusion, and more likely to have children struggling in school. Therefore, a priority must be to end this complex web of systemic inequality in education, the economy and society.
NALA is seeking renewed effort to address the adult literacy issue in Ireland and has identified 10 policy priorities to do this:
1. Continued development of workplace basic education (WBE)
2. Integration of literacy into publicly-funded education and training programmes
3. Distance learning at Levels 1 – 3
4. Implementation of numeracy strategy
5. Development of family literacy implementation plan
6. ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) budget separated
7. Intensive literacy learning opportunities
8. Enhanced health literacy awareness and responses
9. Initiatives to promote literacy opportunities to increase participation
10. Monitoring and evaluation of all interventions
A refreshed strategy based on our 10 policy priorities will raise literacy and numeracy levels, as well as impact on employability, competitiveness, children’s school performance, and social inclusion.
