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The government wants 95 per cent of adults to have basic literacy and numeracy by 2020, but this is the level the top 25 per cent of OECD countries are at now

SOUTH NORFOLK MP Richard Bacon, a member of the Commons public accounts committee, said: “For a modern, highly developed country, we have an unacceptably high number of people who cannot read, write or count properly. This is a national disgrace.”

 “When one considers that children can now pass GCSE English without opening a novel, in case they “might not want to tackle the reading”, it is hardly surprising that literacy levels are so low.  Wishy-washy nonsense like this got us into the present mess and it risks making us a laughing stock in the eyes of competitors and potential investors alike.”

“The government now wants to make sure 95 per cent of the adult population obtains basic numeracy and literacy skills by 2020.  Yet even if the government achieves this vision we will only have reached the standard which the top 25 per cent of OECD countries are at now.  Our global competitors are not going to stand still for our benefit and we cannot afford to lag behind.”

“When the current economic downturn ends, this country needs to be able to hit the ground running.  If the government lets kids opt out of reading because it’s too hard, we are already in serious trouble.  It is time to stop watering down education and start building a workforce that can read, write and add up properly.”

Mr Bacon was speaking as the Commons public accounts committee published its report on the government’s progress in improving literacy and numeracy through the Skills for Life strategy.  The report finds that, despite the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, and its predecessor, the Department for Education and Skills, spending around £5 billion on basic skills courses between 2001 and 2007, large numbers of the adult working population of England remain functionally illiterate and innumerate.  Although the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has a new objective to help 95 per cent of the adult population of working age to achieve functional numeracy and literacy by 2020, achieving this target would only raise the nation’s skill levels to the standard currently achieved by the top 25 per cent of OECD member countries.

In September 2010, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) will introduce GCSE English, alongside GCSEs in English Language and English Literature.  The QCA describes GCSE English as “a practical alternative to taking two GCSEs in English language and English literature for students who wish to release time for other subjects, and for those who might not wish to tackle the reading in GCSE English literature”.

29 January 2009

See also:
PAC REPORT: Skills for Life
PARLIAMENT: Adult skills strategy failing in the East, says MP