More money means more literacy

By Cynthia Münster

The adult literacy program at Loyalist College will be able to increase enrolment by 10 per cent, thanks to the increase in funding recently announced by the McGuinty government.

"There is never enough funding," said Brian Gibb, the co-ordinator of the college preparation program at Loyalist College. "This is the third consecutive year that we are able to have the higher-end, senior high school-level classes. We even had some extra money and, thanks to the funding from the provincial government, we have been able to take on 10 more students."

Learning to read: English class at the adult literacy course in Loyalist CollegeHe explained the need in the community is greater than the funding and the program regularly has to turn down students who come to this program, which has been running at Loyalist for over 40 years.

The program is unique in the area in that it provides adult students with the opportunity to get the equivalent of a high school diploma in less than the normal period of time -- even nine months. The way the courses work is through independent studies, so each student can take it at his or her own pace. The program offers four different levels of English and Math and one computer course with four units that rotate throughout the year.

"This is a great thing to do if you are looking at coming back to school and getting your feet wet," said Elizabeth McMaster, who has been in the adult literacy program for four weeks in preparation for the surveying program she wants to start next September.

This week, the McGuinty government announced adult literacy and apprenticeship programs in Ontario will get a boost of $10 million. About 20 per cent of the funding for adult literacy at Loyalist comes from insurance compensation and private fee-payers; everything else is paid by the government. Last month, the federal government announced a cutback of $17.7 million to adult literacy programs, but because most of the funding for this program comes from the provincial government, this won't be felt much at Loyalist.

"Students who successfully complete the program do very well. This year during the undergraduate award ceremonies, eight were handed out to students in the program," said Gibb.

He said many students who complete the program successfully go on to a post-secondary career, but some also take apprenticeships and others enter the workforce.

"I feel like I'm learning a lot and making a lot of new friends; I enjoy it," said Stephane Leroux, 22, another student in the program who has been in the program since the fall and intends to go on to study at the college, possibly in something related to engineering. He first heard of it through a friend.

This year there are about 80 graduates from the program taking courses at Loyalist in almost every field. Some of them have taken a portion of the classes offered by the adult literacy program, while others took them all. The students in the program range in age from 18 to 60 years old and the average student is in their late 20s. Seven people work in the program.

The program is developing a partnership with other community literacy programs in Belleville, Trenton, Madoc, Picton and Napanee, the goal being to reach out and offer further education that isn't otherwise available.

"We will be sending out someone on a regular basis from now until the end of March," said Gibb.

He explained they will provide the curriculum and part of the lecturing, and the partnering agency will provide the facilities and the rest of the lecturing.

"Staff are very supportive here; I see some younger students and I think if they were to look down the road, they would be more interested and driven to do better," said McMaster.

She said she is really enjoying her time in the program and reflected on what she has seen during this time.

"I've noticed other students' looks of pleasure when they get good grades back and the way they look forward to graduating next June; people get a chance to fulfill that goal -- a goal most of us strive for yet never realize."