National Literacy And Numeracy Strategy Rolled Out

A wide ranging new strategy aimed at ensuring that every child leaves school having mastered literacy and numeracy is being launched today by Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn.

Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life, the National Strategy to improve literacy and numeracy among children and young people is a key pillar of the Programme for Government.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Quinn said: “It is the government’s belief that no child should leave school unable to read and write and use mathematics to solve problems. We know that there is currently much room for improvement and this strategy sets out the road map with concrete targets and reforms that will ensure our children, from early childhood to the end of second level, master these key skills.”

Ambitious targets have been set under the Strategy to be achieved by 2020. Nationally, the aims include:

• Halving the numbers performing at Level 1 (the lowest level) in PISA test of literacy and mathematics
• Improve early childhood education and public attitudes to reading and mathematics
• The Strategy aims to ensure that teachers and schools maintain a strong focus on literacy and numeracy skills, within a broad and balanced curriculum. It sets out a wide-ranging programme of reforms in initial teacher education courses, in professional development for teachers and school principals, and in the content of the curriculum at primary and post-primary levels in order to achieve these vital skills

It is estimated that the cost of implementing the Strategy will be €6 million in 2012 rising to €19 million per annum by 2017.

(BMcN/GK)