Addressing the Annual General Meeting of the National Adult Literacy Agency was a truly inspiring experience for me as I was in the presence of some of the most incredible people one is ever likely to meet.
I have been working closely with Inez Bailey and John Stewart of NALA over the past number of years and we were successful very recently in amending the Education and Training Boards (ETB) Bill to ensure that an adult learner will sit on every board.
In discussing the ETB bill with me, NALA representatives made the clear case that learners’ knowledge and skills were vital for the effective organisation of adult education provision. Adult learners needed to have a seat on the ETBs on the basis of equity, fairness and improving the quality of education and training services.
I was delighted therefore that Minister Ruairí Quinn accepted my amendment and that the Bill has been changed in line with NALA’s recommendations.
There are clearly concerns about the Further Education and Training Authority (SOLAS) Bill and I will be working with NALA over the coming period of time to ensure that their amendments are considered in depth by the minister and that the appropriate changes can be made to this Bill also.
NALA continuously strive for the creation of a National Adult Literacy Strategy and in that regard they have my full support. At t
he AGM I made the following points:
- – Literacy is an equality issue
- – Our Language has to be more ambitious and must speak of ‘eradication’
- – The scale of functional illiteracy amongst Irish adults (23%) should be recognised as a crisis
- – School cannot provide all the answers – housing authorities, social services & the HSE need to cooperate more to make the difference at the earliest stage
- – Maternal depression and infant oral language remain huge challenges
- – Every agency of the state should have an adult literacy policy especially educational institutions such as primary and secondary schools
Having met with Aontas, NALA and Adult Education Guidance Association of Ireland (AEGAI) in relation to the SOLAS bill it is clear that there is much work still to be done.
Legislation needs to empower not to frighten. Hopefully amendments offered by all three organisations will be considered by Minister Quinn who has proven already to being receptive and very much in listening mode.
Some of the experiences shared from the floor of the AGM were extremely moving and were offered by people who have battled all their lives to achieve something that most people take for granted – the ability to read.
I am proud to be associated with NALA, and I look forward to working every closer with them in the future.