Basic skills courses “not a waste of money” Friday, April 3, 2009 - 09:22

Basic skills courses are, "a ladder to opportunity", says NIACE responding to the report to be issued by Professor Anna Vignoles, of the Institute of Education, at an Institute of Fiscal Studies Conference held Friday 3 April 2009.

Carol Taylor, Director of Operations at NIACE, said:

"We cannot be prepared to simply write off all those adults who have poorer literacy and numeracy skills. Of course we would like all children to leave school with excellent literacy and numeracy skills - but this has never been the case."

"The overhaul of the primary and secondary curriculum since 1997 has gone a long way towards changing this. OFSTED consistently shows that schools are improving but this situation will take generations to change."

NIACE believes that the following have had a significant impact on basic skills' learning:

• most employers (and many learners) want, short, sharp courses, or ‘chunks of learning', that can address their particular needs. Adults live crowded lives due to family and work commitments and their learning needs to reflect that
• it is a myth that there are millions of adults who are ‘illiterate' or ‘innumerate'. There are many people who struggle with some aspects of literacy and numeracy - and short courses can help them to develop the skills and confidence they need
• the impressive Government investment in this country's skills base has paid off. Adult education teachers are impressed with the impact that improved quality, proper assessment procedures, comprehensive curricula and the impact the opportunity for adults to gain qualifications has had on their learners
• hundreds of thousands of adults have improved their skills and gained qualifications - for some the first they have ever achieved - since the launch of the Skills for Life strategy

Carol Taylor ended:

"We are right to be worried about our place in the OECD table. We should not be complacent, but be confident that the investment made by the Government, teachers and managers, employers and unions, and of course learners, will pay off if we just give it time."

Cityclean, in Brighton, has helped its street-sweepers and bin-men become more confident and dedicated workers by opening a learning centre. Its learning centre has given more than 100 members of staff the chance to learn again, by offering short courses in basic literacy and numeracy skills.

Grant Belbin, like many of his colleagues, didn't do well at school. But the 29-year-old recycling vehicle driver knew he wanted to learn to read better when his eldest daughter started to come home from school with homework. "I wanted to help her, but I was worried I'd get it wrong," he says. "Now I sit and read with my kids. It's brought us closer."

Grant and many other Cityclean staff have since gone on to study at GCSE level.

Listen to Professor Anna Vignoles and Alan Tuckett's discussion on BBC Today (07:15, Friday 3 April 2009)