Literacy and numeracy skills lacking

The Trades Union Congress said a total of 93,822 people in the area aged between 16-60 suffered from poor literacy out of an adult population of roughly 500,000. Total number with poor numeracy skills in East Lancashire is 97, 971.

Reporters Jamie Diffley and David Higgerson look at the issues and what is being done to solve the problem...

EAST Lancashire is suffering the fallout of a lack of investment after the demise of manufacturing industry, according to the TUC.

Blackburn with Darwen was rated second to bottom out of the 43 local authorities in the North West, with 29.1 per cent of its population suffering -- a total number of 23,540.

The figure for Blackburn with Darwen is 25,235, placing the area fifth worst in the North West.

The figures have been linked to unemployment, with the rate in Blackburn with Darwen put at 8.8 per cent, while for the rest of Lancashire it is averaged out at 4.4 per cent.

Other areas of East Lancashire did not fare much better. Pendle has 27.6 per cent of its population with poor literacy skills and 29.9 per cent with poor numeracy; Hyndburn has 27.3 per cent with poor literacy and 29 per cent with poor numeracy;

Burnley has 27.1 per cent poor literacy and 28.9 per cent poor numeracy; Rossendale 26 per cent poor literacy and 26.2 per cent poor numeracy; Chorley has 21.9 per cent poor literacy and 21.7 per cent poor numeracy and Ribble Valley has 20.8 per cent poor literacy and 19.7 poor numeracy.

The figures have been gleaned from various government bodies -- including school-leavers qualifications -- plus assessments carried out by the TUC.

The TUC said the lack of skills in the region led to poor unemployment levels and low pay. It claimed workers in this country are not given the same encouragement as countries like France and Germany.

And it said the problems were a throwback from when East Lancashire was a heavy engineering area.

A spokesman said: "The days of huge factories which employed hundreds of low skilled workers have all but gone although the need to raise skill levels was never addressed until recently."

Although the figures make for grim reading, the TUC said the problem was actually getting better in the North West with government cash ploughed in to raise basic skill levels. Valerie Miles of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce said the findings could deter big companies setting up shop in the area.

She said: "It would appear that the anecdotal evidence suggests that the levels of numeracy and literacy skills are disadvantageous but that the problem is being tackled.

"Anything that can be done is being done with Education Action Zones and standards are increasing.

"The results of the finding would in theory deter big companies from bringing their businesses here but we have much inward investment and many big call centres so we must be doing something right."

Help on offer for adults who want to learn

JULIAN Clissold, assistant principal at Burnley College, said action was already being taken to address problems.

Mr Clissold said: "There is significant concern about current literacy and numeracy levels, which this report highlights.

"Burnley College is always trying to get people to access the literacy learning that they need."

The college targets its 16-19 students in full-time education, literacy classes in the community, classes which combine learning a skill, such as IT, but concentrates heavily on numeracy and literacy, and even classes at the work place.

Mr Clissold said: "The college is always trying to get people to access the literacy learning that they need.

"There has been a lot of money put in to try and raise adult literacy in the past, yet year on year it has stayed at the same level.

"There need to be new ways to help the problem of poor literacy and numeracy in adults."

Burnley College also works with voluntary organisations to teach adult literacy, such as Burnley Wood One Stop Shop and Brunshaw Management Board.

Mr Clissold said there are 1,000 students who, one way or another, are accessing basic literacy classes.

John Hodgkinson, divisional librarian for East Lancashire which includes Burnley, said: "We have numerous schemes to promote literacy for adults in the library."

"One scheme is a 'Dads and Lads' scheme where we get the father to read a story to his son, and the Smart Centres which we have just got more money for to promote adult learning."

"We encourage as many people as possible to read but more could always be done."

And a centre which will be used for adult learning based at Towneley County High School is to be opened in April 2003 costing £1.2 million.

Asian community keen to take up opportunities

MANY ethnic minority groups have had to work to improve literacy skills, given that English is a second language in many cases.

But Blackburn with Darwen Coun Mafooz Hussain, executive board member for Education and Life Long Learning, said the Asian community was making "engaged" progress in basic skills.

"It might be the case that a high Asian population has affected the statistics but a lot of ethnic minorities are getting into literacy and numeracy.

"There are a lot of doors open to people and ethnic minority parents especially, are taking the leap and joining courses.

"We still need to do a lot to stop a detrimental message going out from East Lancashire.

"Ethnic minorities have different needs where literacy skills are concerned but we are driving forward to improve standards across the board."

East Lancashire MPs urged for action to tackle the literacy problems and Rossendale and Darwen Labour MP Janet Anderson said: "I think this is appalling. There is a real problem with adult literacy and numeracy which the government is tackling through special programmes. But more needs to be done and the real answer is ensuring that young people leave the education system literate and numerate.''

Burnley MP Labour Peter Pike said: "I don't accept these figures for illiteracy but I do admit there is a problem. This is why we have a number of projects on the issue in the town including at the College. But the real answer lies in ensuring that children learn to read, write and add up in Primary Schools -- which is what the literacy and numeracy hours and other initiatives are all about." Hyndburn MP Labour MP Greg Pope said: "I am not convinced by these figures. But there is a problem with adult literacy which is why the government has produced programmes to tackle it in Hyndburn and elsewhere. In the long term the answer is ensuring that people leave school able to read, write and add up."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans disputed the figures: "I don't believe we have that level of illiteracy. I know there are problems elsewhere in East Lancashire but I do not believe they are as bad in Ribble Valley."