JAMAICA’S goal of l00 per cent literacy by 2030 is of great importance to the country’s economic and social development. The last survey in 1999 showed a literacy level of 79.9 per cent and many people believe, judging by what is happening in education and training, that the next survey in 2011 will show an increase in the level of illiteracy. In this column last Tuesday, it was pointed out that illiteracy was one of the biggest social problems in the country.

A more scientific analysis was presented by Dr Alison Cross, executive director of the Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL) at the Seventh Annual Buxton Thompson Memorial Lecture sponsored by the Buxton High School Past Students’ Association at the Mico University College recently.

Dr Cross says that our educational system is currently undergoing a major overhaul to improve every aspect of the Jamaican school experience and by extension, output. The goal is to achieve 100 per cent literacy by 2030, one “we will reach if we all participate in this process”. The Jamaica Productivity Centre’s National Productivity Summary Report for 1972-2007 states that the average Jamaican has been producing 1.3 per cent less each year over the period. Interestingly, in 2007, the three sectors with the lowest productivity levels were industries which typically employ workers with lower levels of education – construction and installation, wholesale and retail, hotels and restaurant services; and agriculture, forestry and fishing. These sectors accounted for approximately 72 per cent of total employment .

Training and retraining

It is therefore no surprise that the Productivity Centre highlights education and skill levels as key determinants of productivity. For those of us in the education business, the imperative is clear: We must leverage and burnish the literacy and numeracy skills of our workforce, and engage our young people to catalyse their potential. Investment in adult education and training brings immediate returns to the national economy in terms of increased productivity, profitability and ability of enterprise to introduce new technology.

When we take on the huge challenge posed by low levels of literacy, we must see it much more than simply enhancing a technique of memorising letters, words and sentences. As former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan suggests, we should see literacy “as a road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realise his or her full potential”.

The concept of lifelong learning emphasises that learning occurs during the entire course of an individual’s life. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Economic Development, through its member states, sees lifelong learning as education and training links with employment destinations, workplace restructuring and workplace training and retraining on the job “just-in-time” training and continued professional development. As Jamaica adjusts to economic tightening, it is becoming clear and more obvious that the demands of the workforce are changing and this needs to be considered carefully. Poor literacy skills often surface when businesses invest in new technology, only to discover that employees do not have the requisite skills, causing unnecessary delays and adversely affecting business.

One measure of advancement of a society is the way it deals with challenges. The truth is that the people of Jamaica cannot participate critically and effectively in society without sharp literacy and numeracy skills. We need informed citizens to address our many challenges adequately. Global competitiveness, quality of life, active citizenship and social inclusion are severely compromised by our widespread literacy issues. Investing in literacy is investing in someone’s feeling of self-confidence and self-worth; acquiring literacy and numeracy skills touches every aspect of someone’s life: finding and maintaining a job, being productive, raising children, living healthily. For the workplace it means a self-confident staff willing to participate, to make informed decisions and smarter choices, thus increasing the productivity potential.

Investing in literacy

Organisations need to appreciate fully that investing in literacy improves their chance of success in their respective areas of responsibility. Creating and maintaining an enabling environment can ensure access to structural learning facilities by workers of all ages who can in turn satisfy the needs of enterprise. This should be non-negotiable. It potentially translates into new technology, new methods of work and positive adjustments to structures, practices and procedures. This should be driven by a collective commitment to invest in human resources to feed macroeconomic development.

In this regard, it is critical to assess the needs of target groups with a view to strengthening the link between learning and employment, creating excellence in vocational learning, providing more opportunities for adult learning, dealing with labour market discrimination and allowing the input of employers in the determination of skill needs.

The JFLL has developed a Workplace Education in Literacy and Life Skills programme which caters to the needs of industry and service-driven enterprises and supports the quest for high levels of productivity. Employers ultimately enhance production by sponsoring sector-specific employee training. The workers’ equity is a combination of time and applied talent.

Heart Trust/NTA has developed a Workforce Improvement Programme that builds customised training courses for firms, which benefits many employees, Dr Cross concluded. The JAMAL Foundation, which was replaced by JFLL, waged a war against illiteracy for many years, teaching people to read and write. But this was not enough for social and economic development. The JFLL is teaching people not only to read and write but also skills and development attitude so that they may make a better contribution to their own existence and community.