Learning and Development News

Skills for Life target achieved two years early

By Sue Mennell (04-07-2008)
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Learning and Development News - Skills for Life target achieved two years early

Skills secretary John Denham has announced that the 2010 Skills for Life Public Service Agreement (PSA) has been reached. The target was for 2.25 million adults to improve their skills by one level, by achieving a first basic skills qualification at entry level 1, 2, or 3 in adult literacy, numeracy or ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages).

Since 2001, 2, 276,000 learners have achieved their first Skills for Life qualification.

Denham said: "These qualifications give people so much more than just a certificate. Gaining basic skills like reading and writing are a vital step towards getting a better job and life.

"Better skills improve the life chances of not only the learners but also their families and children. Skills help people get into and on at work, provide a stepping stone to further qualifications and can also help parents with basic tasks like supporting their children with their homework or reading them a bedtime story."

Denham’s statement is backed by research from the National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy, published in May. It reveals that poor basic skills are transferred from one generation to the next and that parents’ basic skills have a “significant” effect on their children’s cognitive ability.

Skills for Life provides free tuition in literacy, language and numeracy for adults with skills below Level 2 (the equivalent of one GCSE at grades A* to C).

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