Newfoundland & Labrador Literacy Facts

The most recent literacy data for Newfoundland and Labrador comes from the IALSS (International Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey). This data from 2003 reveals the following:

  • 50% of people aged 16-65 in Newfoundland and Labrador are still scoring in the two lowest literacy proficiency levels (Level three is considered to be the minimum level required to fully participate in a knowledge based economy.)
  • 50% of the Newfoundland and Labrador population have low literacy skills, as compared to 42% of the Canadian population.
  • 60% of Canadian immigrants have low literacy
  • A higher percentage of men than women have proficiency levels below level 3.
  • Less than half of those who contact a literacy organization enroll in a program
  • Less than 10% of Canadians who could benefit from literacy upgrading program actually enroll
  • A Statistics Canada study indicates that each additional year of education a person receives is worth 8.3% on their paycheque
  • The 9 million Canadian adults who have low literacy are almost twice as likely to be unemployed
  • Canadians use their literacy skills more in the workplace than at home
  • 45% of Canadian jobs created in this decade will require 16 years of education
  • 22% of adult Canadians have serious problems dealing with printed materials
  • Only 10% of Canadians see literacy as part of our economic problems
  • Over 10 million Canadians are working at marginal or modest levels of literacy
  • People who use computers consistently score higher on average on the prose literacy scale than those who did not
  • Proficiency in prose literacy tends to decrease with age

***Retrieved from the ABC Canada website http://www.abc-canada.org/

The survey defines level three as the level where people can function well in today’s knowledge-based society. This means they would read and write well enough to understand everyday documents, use a bank machine, surf the Internet, etc. Surprisingly, many of those below this level are in the workforce. Also notable is the fact that 40% of our youth aged 16-25 fall in levels one and two.

These statistics don't paint a very rosy picture, but it is still very valuable information. It is important to remember that literacy levels are not about how ‘smart’ people are, but rather what kinds of skills they have had opportunity to develop. Data like this should raise our awareness and help us to see where and how we can really start making a difference.