A new action plan to increase literacy in Atlantic Canada was launched today in St. John’s by the co-chairs of the Council of Atlantic Ministers of Education and Training (CAMET), Prince Edward Island Ministers Gerard Greenan and Allan Campbell.
In a joint statement, the ministers said improving literacy is a priority for each of the Atlantic ministers of education and training.
“We recognize that low literacy skills have a negative impact on the lives of children and adults, and we are calling on Atlantic Canadians to take action,” says Gerard Greenan, PEI Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development and CAMET Co-chair.
Atlantic ministers are supporting the plan with funding of $1.5 million over the next five years. Of this amount, $900,000 will be dedicated to literacy in schools and early learning, and $600,000 to adult and workplace literacy.
Allan Campbell, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, said the ministers recognize that increasing literacy rates is essential to the development of a highly skilled labour force and to Atlantic Canada’s ability to prosper in today’s diverse economy.
“The Literacy Action Plan will raise public awareness of the socio-economic benefits of literacy and essential skills,” said Minister Campbell. “It will help employers and industry understand the value of literacy and essential skills programs, and it will encourage employers to support learning opportunities for their employees. We look forward to working together as a region on this issue.”
The plan outlines specific actions that ministers will take to promote literacy in schools and early learning centres. These include initiatives to improve literacy learning across the curriculum and throughout the school years. Ministers understand the important role of teacher literacy training and professional development to improve literacy in schools and early learning centres. They are resolved to work with post-secondary institutions to integrate literacy skills teaching as a key component of teacher training programs.
The plan, Literacy: Key to Learning and Path to Prosperity – An Action Plan for Atlantic Canada 2009-2014, can be downloaded at www.camet-camef.ca
It was prepared at the request of the Council of Atlantic Premiers, who endorsed the actions undertaken by their ministers of education and training as outlined in this action plan. The Council of Atlantic Ministers of Education and Training (CAMET) is an agency of the Council of Atlantic Premiers (CAP) and its purpose is to enhance cooperation in public (Entry-Grade 12) and post secondary education in Atlantic Canada by working together to improve learning, optimize efficiencies and bring added value to provincial initiatives.