Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2004
1 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps he is taking to address adult literacy problems; the position with regard to the implementation of workplace basic education programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5417/04]
View answerThe adult literacy service is organised by and delivered through the VEC adult literacy schemes throughout the country. The service is resourced and managed by the VECs through funding from my Department. Since the publication of a report of an international adult literacy survey in 1997, my Department has invested considerably increased funding in the development of adult literacy services.
The annual number of clients of the general adult literacy services provided by the VECs is currently 28,000. The additional funds provided in recent years were used to expand the scale and scope of provision, improve outreach and referral links and promote flexibility and quality. In addition to expanding the general adult literacy services, specially targeted programmes have been introduced for people with special literacy requirements in such areas as family learning, workplace learning, provision for special needs and catering for those for whom English is not the mother tongue. To try to reach as many people with literacy needs as possible, use is made of radio and television so that people can access help in the privacy of their own homes.
The national development plan committed €93.5 million to the service in the period from 2000 to 2006, with a target of reaching 113,000 clients over that period. In the area of workplace literacy, joint initiatives have been developed at local level through co-operation between VECs, FÁS, the National Adult Literacy Agency and local employers. Specific funding has been provided for a course in workplace basic skills training for experienced group literacy tutors. This course is designed to familiarise literacy tutors with the key issues in basic skills training in the workplace and also identifies strategies for introducing and implementing programmes in this context. Programmes under way at national level include the return to education programme, a joint initiative between FÁS, VECs and NALA, which provides an intensive literacy programme for community employment workers on FÁS community employment schemes. A focused workplace literacy programme is available nationwide for local authority outdoor staff. There are also successful workplace literacy programmes in two hospitals and in a trade union.
The commitment and support of employers is a fundamental requirement for the successful implementation of workplace literacy programmes. In seeking to support and encourage employers to participate in such programmes, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has approved a project proposal from NALA to design and deliver a workplace basic education programme for SMEs. A pilot programme for the development of a certificate in workplace skills has also been approved by that Department under the ESF aided in-company training measure of the human resources development operational programme.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Much work has been done and progress has been made in this area. The Minister of State mentioned the projects in local authorities, which are successful. However, I am concerned about the roll-out to the private sector, which I appreciate could be more difficult. Does the Minister of State agree that part of the difficulty is the absence of statutory support and that staff training programmes, which are already in place in the private sector, seem to assume that participants have basic literacy skills, which is not always the case? How will NALA's workplace basic education strategy, which features in Sustaining Progress, be progressed through the partnership process? What steps is the Department taking to progress the roll-out of the workplace basic education programmes in the private sector and has a timescale been set? Will the Department establish a workplace basic education fund? The Minister referred to two schemes in her reply. Has her Department been in contact with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment about the possible use of the training budget for the workplace basic education programme? I know the Minister of State cannot answer for that Department, but that budget has not been spent.
I thank the Deputy for her questions and I welcome her acknowledgement that much work has been done and funding has been made available for adult literacy. That was a priority of the last Administration and of this one. There has been an 18-fold increase in the level of funding provided by the two Governments since 1997. While we recognise the tremendous work which needs to be done, much work has already been done and that is obvious from the increased take-up of the service. NALA is doing a great job in the roll-out of that service.
It has been acknowledged by people involved in the literacy programmes and in surveys which have been done that workplace literacy is one of the important elements of trying to eradicate illiteracy. To do that, we must ensure that people take up the programmes. However, that depends on employers. There is a specific reference in Sustaining Progress to the workplace learning programme. NALA has trained a number of tutors to provide literacy in the workplace and has promoted the availability of services among employer organisations. There are also successful workplace literacy programmes in two hospitals and a trade union, as I said in my initial reply. Paragraph 2.8 of Sustaining Progress, which the Deputy mentioned, states that workplace basic education literacy, numeracy and information and communications technology programmes will be implemented, building on the recommendations made by NALA, which is the agency with specific responsibility in this area.
