Adult literacy classes fall to budget cuts

Teacher Christine Duncan works with adult literacy students Tua Atuolo and Tamara Heparona, with her son Elijah, 20 months, at Finlay Park School. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

More than 500 adults in basic literacy and numeracy classes have had their funding cut from the end of this year, despite Government assurances that literacy and numeracy skills would be spared from budget cuts.

The country's main literacy umbrella group, Literacy Aotearoa, has lost all its funding for community classes in Auckland, the Waikato, Wellington and Dunedin, affecting 414 learners.

Another 80 parents on an innovative family literacy programme run by the City of Manukau Education Trust (Comet) have lost their funding, as well as 45 parents at Finlayson Park School in Manurewa, a decile 1 school with an almost totally Maori and Pacific roll of 900.

The cuts are separate from an 80 per cent cut in "adult and community education" funded through schools. That cut, from $16 million to $3.2 million, was said to exempt literacy, numeracy and foundation courses.

Another fund, the "intensive literacy and numeracy" fund, pays for other literacy and numeracy courses run through Literacy Aotearoa and other providers.

A Labour Government action plan published before last year's election had projected an increase in total literacy and numeracy funding from $28.9 million in 2008-09 to $50 million a year by 2011-12.

The Government has kept the workplace-based part of that funding, boosting it from $11.2 million in the past year to just under $17 million a year in the next two years before it drops back to $12 million. But the intensive literacy and numeracy fund has been cut from $15.3 million to $13.9 million this year and will drop further to $10.9 million by 2012-13.

The fund's criteria have also been changed to require a minimum of 80 students in urban areas, which has cut out Finlayson Park's small classes aimed at helping parents take the first steps towards getting jobs and helping their children with their homework.

Luapene and Amato Mauia, who arrived from Samoa three years ago, have attended classes in literacy, numeracy and computer skills since Mr Mauia was made redundant from his roofing job recently.

Mrs Mauia could write but "needed a refresh". Tamara Heparona, 33, brought her youngest child with her to her first literacy class yesterday.

"I want to do the computer and some more reading and writing so I can help the kids with their homework, help them to understand," she said.

Tutor Christine Duncan said the classes aimed to give parents enough confidence in English to take part in society.

"One woman said she was a little mouse in family meetings. She has built up her confidence so much that now her family are asking her to be their spokesperson," she said.

School principal Shirley Maihi said parents who would never have set foot in the school were now actively involved with their children's education.

"It's made our parents more aware of the need to send their children to school every day," she said.

Comet chief executive Bernadine Vester said her family literacy programme also aimed to teach parents basic parenting skills and the first stage of early childhood education training as well as literacy.

Literacy Aotearoa chief executive Bronwyn Yates said her organisation would survive outside the main centres.

A spokesman for the Tertiary Education Commission said funding decisions for each provider were still subject to review.

"However, we can confirm there are a number of providers in the Auckland area who will receive funding from the intensive literacy and numeracy fund."