The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Education:

Speaker, I want to take an opportunity in this Honourable House to provide an update on the five-year Adult Literacy Action Plan, first announced in October 2019. The plan contains 30 actions designed to strengthen literacy skills within the province and build a more empowered and skilled population.

As part of the Provincial Government’s ongoing commitment to improving adult literacy in Newfoundland and Labrador, last December we announced a $195,000 investment to support the introduction of a foundational Adult Literacy Pilot Program at The Gathering Place, delivered in partnership with the Murphy Centre.

Speaker, I am pleased to inform this House that the program has already seen significant uptake, with 27 guests of the Gathering Place enrolled. Participants are receiving individualized training that can range from building and enhancing basic literacy and numeracy skills to technology, time management and organizational skills.

Speaker, I am pleased to further update that our government has recently provided more than $480,000 in total funding for three more important initiatives that will support adult learners with learning disabilities.

This includes:

• An investment in The Learning Disabilities Association of Newfoundland and Labrador to implement a one-year pilot project for adults with learning disabilities, allowing them to receive individualized tutoring as well as training and support in assistive technology;
• Support for Brilliant Labs to implement a one-year pilot project to provide hands on experiential learning for adults to increase digital literacy skills; and
• Support for Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries to implement a one-year pilot project to expand adult and family literacy initiatives at libraries across the province.

Speaker, through the Adult Literacy Action Plan, we continue to support our community partners as they provide adult learners with meaningful literacy tools and resources.

Everyone in our province deserves the opportunity to experience the empowering effect of learning and improved literacy skills. Thank you.