Conference focuses on improving literacy, numeracy in Manitoba

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This article was published 27/12/2017 (2929 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The province wants to hear from Manitobans to help develop a new, long-term strategy for improving literacy and numeracy. 

The government will hold a three-day conference in early January, where it hopes Manitobans will reflect on the current state of learning, literacy and numeracy in the province and point out gaps in the current system.

Ultimately, the province wants help from citizens in coming up with goals and action plans to improve learning, in both letters and numbers. It then plans to use the feedback to develop its strategy. 

“Everyone has a unique set of knowledge and experience,” Education Minister Ian Wishart said in a prepared statement. “People with diverse perspectives from across the province are invited to attend, including Indigenous, francophone and newcomer communities, and participants from urban, rural and northern regions.” 

Manitoba’s literacy rate sits around the Canadian average, according to Statistics Canada. 

As of 2012, 17 per cent of Manitobans aged 25-64 had the lowest literacy proficiency Statistics Canada metrics use — level one.  

The province’s Learning for Life Literacy and Numeracy Summit is taking place Jan. 9 to 11 at the RBC Convention Centre. Registration is available online. Email inquiries to LSTU@gov.mb.ca  or visit the province’s website.

There is no fee to register or attend, but registration is online only and ends Jan. 2.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.caa