Author: House of Commons
Pages: 35
Year: 2009
Source: TSO (The Stationery Office)
Although the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, and its predecessor, the Department for Education and Skills, spent around £5 billion on basic skills courses between 2001 and 2007 (£9 billion by 2011), large numbers of the adult working population of England remain functionally illiterate and innumerate. Tackling poor literacy, language and numeracy skills is essential if more people are to realise their full potential and the country is to remain competitive in an increasingly global economy. In 2001, the then Department for Education and Skills launched the Skills for Life strategy, with a Public Service Agreement target to improve the skills of 2.25 million adults in England by 2010. This target was met over two years early.
Web link: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/c
mpubacc/154/154.pdf
