Within the context of Sepember 8th, International Literacy Day and Canada’s upcoming 2015 federal election, where do the political parties stand?
ON THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM ADULT LITERACY
“It should be the federal government’s priority to meet adults’ particular educational needs by providing quality learning opportunities. However, we are witnessing:
Until recently, there was a broad consensus on the importance of adult education. However, in the past few years, we have seen the effects of the federal government withdrawal from adult literacy. We are concerned that the government has turned its back on hundreds of thousands of Canadians with low literacy skills, who represent 16% of our country’s population, as well as the 32% of adults who rely on minimal basic skills (according to the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies- PIAAC). This course of action threatens to contribute to permanent situations of social, cultural and economic exclusion.”
A network of organizations and researchers are asking the political parties to state their positions:
- Daniel Baril, Executive Director, Institut de coopération en éducation des adultes (ICÉA)
- Geneviève Dorais-Beauregard, Executive Director, Centre de documentation sur l’éducation des adultes et la condition féminine (CDÉACF)
- Brigid Hayes, Researcher in adult education
- Isabelle Salesse, President, Réseau pour le développement de l’alphabétisme et des compétences, RESDAC
- Linda Shohet, Researcher and consultant, previously Executive Director of The Centre for Literacy
- Suzanne Smythe, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University
Click on the following link to read the full statement, along with questions for political leaders and candidates; and join the signatories in asking our federal parties to address the issues facing literacy and adult education in Canada. http://cdeacf.ca/canadaelections2015
Adult Basic Education is a Basic Right 