From Rhetoric to Action:“Think Literacy” for Greater Economic Returns

By Dr. Alison Cross, EdD, Executive Director of the Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning

Our educational system is currently undergoing a major overhaul to improve every aspect of the Jamaican school experience, and by extension, output. Our goal is 100% literacy by 2030 - one we will reach if we all participate in this process.  Where are we now?

The stark reality is that (according to the PIOJ)….in 2008, many jobs vanished…..most of them in the last quarter of the year. The displaced workers are either currently unemployed or in need of retraining to reenter the job market. The Jamaica Productivity Centre’s National Productivity Summary Report for 1972 -2007, stated that the average Jamaican worker has been producing 1.3% less each year over the period,. Interestingly, in 2007, the three sectors with the lowest productivity levels were industries which typically employ workers with lower levels of education - Construction & Installation, Wholesale & Retail, Hotels & Restaurant Services; and Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing.

These sectors accounted for approximately 72% of total employment in the eight sectors. It is therefore no surprise that the Productivity Centre highlights education and skill levels as key determinants of productivity. For those of us in the education business, the imperative is clear…we must leverage and burnish the literacy and numeracy skills of our workforce, and engage our young adults to catalyze their potential.  Investment in adult education and training brings immediate returns to the national economy in terms of increased productivity, profitability and ability of enterprises to introduce new technology.

The relationship between productivity and the literacy capabilities of any workforce is well documented.
Statistics Canada (2007) found a clear link between investments in human capital and a country's ensuing growth and labour productivity. "A rise of one percent in literacy scores relative to the international average is associated with an eventual 2.5 percent relative rise in labour productivity and a 1.5 percent rise in GDP per head".

In the document “Unattached” HEART-NTA identifies 127 thousand unattached youth in Jamaica – not in school,, not working, not trained…totally unacceptable,  especially in this landscape of declining worker productivity.

I challenge us all to see this reality as not just grim ‘quotable’ statistics…but rather to seize the moment to move together …quickly… from rhetoric to action.

Scheduled to give the keynote address at an important convention, the CEO asked one of his top employees, Schwartz, to write a punchy, twenty minute speech for him.

After the big event, the CEO returned and he was furious. "What's the idea of writing an hour long speech for me?" he bellowed. "Half the audience got up and walked out before I was finished!"

Confused, Schwartz replied, "Sir, I wrote you a twenty minute speech. I also gave you the two extra copies you requested."

When we take on the huge challenge posed by low levels of  literacy – we must  see it as much more than simply enhancing a technique of memorizing letters, words and sentences…. As former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan suggests, we should see literacy “as a road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential”.

When I speak of literacy and numeracy….I speak of the more comprehensive abilities of reading, writing and using numbers, to handle information, express ideas and opinions, make decisions and solve problems, as family members, as workers, as citizens and ultimately……as lifelong learners…the concept of lifelong learning is now central to any discussion on literacy,

The concept of lifelong learning emphasizes that learning occurs during the entire course of an individual’s life. The OECD through its member states sees lifelong learning as:

• education and training links with employment destinations;
• workplace restructuring and workplace training and retraining;
• on the job and “just-in-time” training; and
• continued professional development.

The term “lifelong learning” was first used over thirty (30) years ago by Edgar Faure in a UNESCO Report, with several definitions being put forward since then. Let me zoom in on one such definition:

• The European Union views it as “all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competence, within a civic, social and/or employment-related perspective.” 

This definition was set in a context of adapting education and training centres to changing global trends that demanded a competent workforce.

 A major factor that has influenced employers, planners and government officials is the changing nature of competition due to new methods of doing work and sophisticated consumer demand.  The impact of globalization has been felt across the economic sectors, and so pressure has been placed on education and training providers to link our services more directly to the labour market.

Institutions such as HEART and JFLL along with other kinds of training organizations,  enhance the health of the national economy through the delivery of direct support to  enterprise, entrepreneurs and other labour market interests. This forms a part of the enabling environment required to convert mere plans to prosperity.

How do we do this?:
Jacques Delors places the learning concept on four pillars: “learning to know”; “learning to do”; “learning to live together and with others”; and “learning to be”.

1. Learning to Know: Individuals must be equipped with the foundational capabilities to learn –concentration, memory skills and  the ability to think.  

2.  Learning to do: Anchored in fundamental capabilities, the learner must then be able to link the skills acquired,  to the environment and job needs. (e.g.  good interpersonal skills and other job skills such as
effective communication, team work, problem-solving and decision making abilities.)

3. Learning to live together implies the effective resolution of, social tensions through conflict resolution, mediation, arbitration and conciliation. Learning how to engage the right persons, systems and institution is a vital part of the process.

4. Learning to be’:  The application of acquired knowledge for complete personal development. This includes the development of problem solving and decision making skills by combining information and knowledge into creativity and innovation.

Literacy and numeracy practices integrate the routines, skills and understandings that are organized within specific contexts and also the feelings and values that people have about these activities.  For instance, performance anxiety about  reading for understanding,  heightens when one moves out of the comfort of home to a  public context like the  workplace.

As we speak about weak literacy and low workplace productivity, let us remember that we are speaking about our Jamaican adults and youth.  Illiteracy and weak literacy are linked to personal challenges such as low self-esteem and social dysfunction.

Many are apprehensive about discussing these literacy challenges, but we must embrace  and facilitate this
segment of the population in full support of human development and lifelong learning for ALL …we must
help them to realize their full potential through education and training.

A young adult may ask….Why should I invest in lifelong learning?
The decision by an individual to invest in education and training depends on:

1. the existence of a barriers to the individual's  investment, and
2. the total incentives received to learn.

Productivity demands often change the skill and knowledge requirements, thereby creating pressure on people to acquire new competences. Technological innovation also alters processes, even in traditional job areas, often necessitating job changes over a single career.
Building a lifelong learning framework is a response to the increasingly rapid changes in modern societies. This includes new production methods, increased access to internet services ..an earlier shift towards a service economy….and more recently…a shift towards a knowledge economy. Nations, enterprises and individuals need to anticipate and adapt to these significant developments through steady commitment to learning for survival.

There are presently various opportunities on offer on Jamaica for skill and knowledge acquisition beyond the formal and informal education structures, namely:-

• apprenticeship,
• on the job training,
• distance education,
• vocational training,
• outreach by non-governmental organizations, such as churches and other civic groups, and
• part time and full time courses offered by universities and colleges.

As Jamaica adjusts to the economic tightening it is becoming more and more obvious that the demands of the workforce are changing, and this needs to  be considered very carefully.

Poor literacy skills often surface when businesses invest in new technology, only to discover that employees do not have the requisite skills – yielding unnecessary delays and adversely affecting business.

The literacy demands of work are increasing. Staff should be able to read complicated instructional manuals, address health and safety issues, write reports, participate actively in staff meetings and operate complex equipment. The literacy skills of the employee need to match the complexity of the job.
Acquiring new skills not only helps the individual but also helps to improve productivity.

One measure of  the advancement of a society is the way it deals with its challenges. The truth is that the people of Jamaica cannot participate critically and effectively in society without sharp literacy and numeracy skills.  We need informed citizens to adequately address our many many challenges.

Global competitiveness, quality of life, active citizenship and social inclusion are severely compromised by our widespread literacy issues.

Investing in literacy is investing in someone’s feeling of self-confidence and sense of self-worth. Acquiring literacy and numeracy skills are about every aspect of someone’s life: finding and maintaining a job, being productive, raising children, living healthily. For the workplaces – it means a self confident staff, willing to participate, to make informed decisions, and smarter choices – thus increasing the productivity potential.

Organizations need to fully appreciate that investing in literacy improves their chance of success in their respective areas of responsibility. We need to convince them on the basis of clear evidence. That is….we must be data driven!

Creating and maintaining an enabling environment can ensure access to structured learning facilities by workers of all ages, who can in turn satisfy the needs of enterprise. This should be non-negotiable, as this potentially translates into new technology, new methods of work, and positive adjustments to structures, practices and procedures.
This should be driven by a collective commitment to invest in human resources to feed macroeconomic development.
In this regard it is critical to assess the needs of target groups with a view aim to:

•  strengthening the link between learning and employment,
•  creating excellence in vocational learning,
•  providing more opportunities for adult learning,
• dealing with labour market discrimination,
• allowing the input of employers in the determination of skill needs.

This process should yield clear learning and teaching objectives, which should in turn influence curriculum content, learning delivery modes, and the teaching apparatus. A critical factor in achieving teaching and learning objectives is the input of various strategic partners united by a common theme. In the current global context, this movement will be market- driven, to secure every comparative advantage.

My organization – the JFLL has developed a Workplace Education in Literacies and Life Skills (WELLS) programme, which caters to the needs of industry and service-driven enterprises and supports the quest for higher levels of productivity.  Employers ultimately enhance production by sponsoring sector-specific employee training. The workers’ equity is a combination of time and applied talent.

Heart Trust/NTA has developed a Workforce Improvement Programme that builds customized training courses for firms, which benefits numerous employees. Heart Trust/NTA has also continually fostered debate on lifelong learning through an active focus group.

As we continue to act locally, we need to look at training the workforce at a world class standard.
In our societies, the pace is set by rapid technological change, which requires us to constantly update our skills. When we talk about long-term economic growth and development, we tend to focus on knowledge, innovation and research. That is the way of the increasingly interconnected world.

But consider this: knowledge is about information. Information is, more often than not, in written form. Our ability to grasp, process and use written information determines to a large extent our ability to participate in society in all our multifarious roles….
Those who lack the necessary reading and writing skills are left behind. The societies that strive for social cohesion and maximum participation of its citizens, are at the top of the global food chain..

What does this all mean?

• Based on the notions of the literacy chain and societal benefits, I believe that society needs to be mobilised to feel a shared responsibility for promoting literacy and tackling illiteracy. We need to:

• Speak about education and training at every opportunity you get
• Facilitate movement away from the vicious cycle (Illiterate people feel that they are the only ones with the problem. Their sense of shame stands in the way of seeking help.)
•  Get the issue out in the open to help overcome the taboo. This in turn will encourage them to go back to school and stop us from taking literacy for granted.
•  Lobby leaders at all levels (political, business, religious, social etc.) to raise the bar of awareness about the relevance of literacy to society and to secure the necessary commitments.
• Highlight new angles of the issue through research and partnerships to keep the issue on the national agenda.
• Invest in well-targeted media campaigns.
• And finally, use “Literacy Ambassadors” - their intensely personal stories are more powerful than anything else to encourage others to go back to school. You no doubt have many other creative and effective ideas and good practices.

Collaborations:
Clearly, the advancement of literacies for life, enterprise and national development  is too complex an issue for one organisation to  “own” it. We therefore need to develop a sense of shared national responsibility. This notion of shared responsibility goes further than a simple exchange of information; it calls for a market place where supply and demand come together.

The supply side consists of the vast array of knowledge, educational methods, materials, campaigns, toolkits and research as well as experts and teachers. In a way, this is the “easy” part, given the amount of expertise that exists right here in Jamaica – look around at the MICO

What’s needed on a large scale is the creation of real demand for the offerings that exist on the supply side, particularly in the area of informal education.

I’ll give you a concrete example of the market place in practice: we identified a company with the potential to multiply impact: Advanced Farm Technologies in Martha Brae, Trelawny employed many low-trained workers in a remote rural setting where options are limited.  Yet they have been able to add to the national coffers by producing the ‘Martha’s brand of papayas for export). Like many organizations before we partner with them….their main focus was not on literacy issues. They simply had not pursued it as a priority. Our partnership quickly escalated to yield greater worker participation in to production chain, while creating literacy ambassadors at the management, clerical and line staff levels.

Employees came forward, and were not only able to address their literacy deficiencies, but some were able to move up and out into the proximate hospitality sector – literally and figuratively up the social food chain. CEO, Ian Fulton and his team are now more aware of literacy issues in the workplace – which of course is a powerful communication tool.

Special Training Programmes
There are several training programmes within the public sector training institutions addressing  illiteracy within the workforce, and extending to casualties of redundancy. The most prominent of these institutions and programmes are:
• Workforce Improvement Programme - HEART/NTA
• Workforce Consortium. Courses offered with the participation of trade unions for displaced and redundant workers.
Yet the problem persists, and there is much more room for action.

What do we do now to locate the issue of adult and youth learning within Lifelong Learning at the centre of the national agenda while we develop a framework for the future?
• Stimulate a real dialogue on human development and a future built on human dignity;
• Gain commitment from governments, civil society and the private sector to join forces and find new partners beyond the educational field;
• Scale up the investment in adult learning as the basis for supporting economic development, justice and democracy;
• Move from planning and policies to concrete action plans, targets and monitoring;
• Make literacy and adult education everybody´s business and commitment since
…..investing in a multifaceted project of literacy and adult education has clear implications for all aspects of the life of youth and adults and other at risk groups.

It was consistently re‐iterated that “adult learning turns poverty into opportunity” and that the current global challenges have justified the vision of CONFINTEA VI. This framework calls for  increased commitment to “human freedom through wholesale commitment, strong political will, partnership building and the participation of all stakeholders in advocacy and policy design that benefit youth and adults. Only then would countries such as Jamaica,  be able to move from rhetoric to concrete, purposeful and sustainable action.

Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world – Nelson Mandela