Community asked to help battle illiteracy
A significant portion of the Northern Marianas population is considered illiterate, according to Adult Basic Education Director Fe Calixterio who yesterday urged members of the business community to increase efforts in promoting literacy on the islands.
Based on 1995 Census records, more than 11,000 of the over-all population have either failed to go beyond 5th grade level, only reached 8th grade, or dropped out of school before securing a high school diploma.
Head of the General Education Diploma program at the Northern Marianas College, Ms. Calixterio was quick to note that CNMI’s drop out rate is relatively high every year.
“There are over 200 students who drop out of school every year. I may be painting a dismal picture here but this is the reality,” the educator told members of the Rotary Club yesterday.
She added that as of 1995, close to 11,500 individuals in the CNMI are without high school diplomas.
“This problem will continue to haunt us if we do not do something about it. This should pose as a challenge to us leaders and strive to do more,” she said.
In this light, Ms. Calixterio has asked Rotarians to advocate literacy to the whole community by making it known that assistance is available through NMC’s ABE or GED program.
“Please spread the word around that our institution exists to perform these services. Let us tell people about this and encourage youths to participate in training programs,” she said.
CNMI’s lone college offers various programs that give second chances to those who have failed to receive their high school diplomas.
Last year, the college graduated a total of 41 students from its ABE program. “But this figure is still not sufficient in comparison to the prevailing drop out rate,” she said.
NMC also offers literacy development courses through its Family Literacy Program where child and parent experience learning as a team effort.
This concept is based on the basic principle consigning parents as the first and primary teachers of their children. The school also provides adult courses under its Advanced Development Institute.
“Anybody without a high school diploma can avail of our services,” Ms. Calixterio said.
July has been identified as the Literacy Month. All over the world, an estimated 900 million people — about a quarter of the world’s population — cannot read or write in any language, reports say.
Studies also show that although 98 percent of the world’s illiterate live in developed countries, more than a third of the adults in industrialized countries cannot read well enough to decipher prescriptions or fill out employment forms. (MM)
