Opposition calls for new survey on adult literacy in Jamaica

Opposition Leader Andrew Holness has called for a comprehensive survey to determine the level of adult literacy in Jamaica. He made the suggestion in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Mr. Holness said, although studies have been conducted, relevant data have not been gathered by the Ministry of Education.

"The last statistics of any qualification that we could use as a judgment, as to the literacy of the Jamaican population, would be... statistics produced by one of the UN agencies, suggesting that 67 per cent of Jamaicans were literate," he said.

On the other hand, he said, there were other suggestions that the literacy rate could be "in the high 70s."

To remove all doubt, he said it was necessary at this time "to do a new national survey on adult literacy in Jamaica.

The High School Diploma Equivalency Programme currently has close to 4,000adults enrolled.

The Ministry of Education is seeking to increase the figure to 7,500 this year.    

Education Minister Ronald Thwaites announced on Tuesday that the High School Diploma Equivalency Programme, now being offered by the Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) has gained international recognition.

The Minister told the House of Representatives that two influential bodies - City Adult Learning Centre, in Canada, and the Office of Adult and Continuing Education, "which is the largest provider of adult education certification in the United States of America - had both agreed to recognize the JFLL's certification.