The B.C. government has announced millions of dollars in new funding for programs that help adults across the province develop their reading, writing and math skills.
Melanie Mark, B.C.'s minister of advanced education, skills and training, said the $2.4 million investment will be shared by 94 community adult literacy programs run by 69 service providers.
"We know that it's critically important for people to have literacy and numeracy skills to complete simple daily tasks like cooking, attending medical appointments and applying for work," Mark said in a statement. "I applaud these community organizations that are the unsung heroes that open doors and create pathways for all British Columbians."
According to the government, more than 700,000 people in the province have "significant literacy challenges," which can make it hard to follow the news, read important health information and follow instruction manuals.
About half of B.C. adults also struggle because of limited numeracy skills – the kind that come in handy when calculating interest on loans, reading graphs or even measuring proper medicine dosages.
The programs seeing a funding boost provide everything from one-on-one tutoring to small group lessons. They also cover "all levels of literacy," from basic to high school completion-level.
