Coulter urges Literacy Probe
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has been given assurances from Stormont Minister Sir Reg Empey that there will be more probes into the Province’s literacy levels.
Rev Coulter, the UUP’s Health Spokeman, asked Sir Reg, the Employment and Learning Minister, what consideration had been given to conducting surveys of literacy performance in Northern Ireland, compared to the types of measurement available in England?
Assemblyman Dr Coulter said: “The Minister touched on a matter that is at the heart of his Department’s current considerations.
“He said the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) was last conducted in 1996 — with its results published in 1997 — and is due to be held again in 2011 or 2012.
“Importantly, the Minister recognized IALS is an international standard, which means Northern Ireland will have the opportunity to measure our performance against other countries.
“However, it has also emerged the time between the last survey and the next one is too long, which means that we are a bit blind about our current position.
“I was informed other research was conducted in England, although not on a comparable basis.
“It is also clear for the Department of Employment and Learning to carry out a full IALS survey, or invent another method, would be exceptionally time consuming and expensive.
“Consequently, Sir Reg emphasized his Department is closely examining alternatives to provide some early indication as to whether we are winning or losing the battle on essential skills.
“Although the figures for throughput are positive and above target, the danger is that Northern Ireland is adding to the cohort in the community who do not have essential skills and are out of school.”
Assemblyman Dr Coulter said the entire community should be concerned about this situation and it would continue to be a big issue for the future.
“I warmly welcome Sir Reg’s assurances his Department is urgently examining that issue for the obvious reasons,” concluded Dr Coulter.