14 May 2002
Budget 2002

Associate Education Minister, Marian Hobbs, has announced a further $8 million for implementing the Adult Literacy Strategy over the next four years, taking total funding to over $53 million.

The Adult Literacy Strategy says that long-term, all New Zealanders should enjoy a level of literacy that enables them to participate fully in all aspects of life, including work, family and the community and to have the opportunity to achieve literacy in English and Te Reo Maori.

"The Adult Literacy Strategy was established in May 2001 and the additional funding from Budget 2002 will increase the ability of quality adult literacy providers to respond to increasing demand," Marian Hobbs said. "Despite the government’s considerable existing, ongoing funding for adult literacy, there is still a significant disparity between the need for adult literacy services and servicing of that need.

"As a country and as a people we need concerted action to raise levels of literacy among our adult population. There will be no sustainable future for our growing knowledge economy without urgent action. In partnership with key stakeholders and communities, this government is committed to implementing a comprehensive adult literacy strategy, which tackles the problem on the scale required.

"Additional investment in this area will increase provision of adult literacy, speed up the implementation of services and make a major contribution to the essential development of foundation skills which is a key part of the government’s Tertiary Education Strategy – the final version of which has been released today."

Marian Hobbs said that the majority of the additional funding has been earmarked for the following identified areas of need:
- workplace literacy projects where quality literacy providers work in partnership with employers and Industry Training Organisations;
- developing regional adult literacy links between Iwi and Maori providers and expanding whanau literacy projects;
- expanding projects in family literacy for Pacific peoples and other groups; and
- expanding the range of opportunities for English literacy acquisition for refugee and new migrants.

Ends

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