New Zealand Overview
Ma te mohio ka ora: Through learning there is life:
ma to ora ka mohio. through life there is learning!
Workforce literacy and numeracy matters!
In 2006, New Zealand and other countries participated in the international Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALL) and the results indicated that 1.1 million New Zealanders (43 percent of the adults aged 16–65) have literacy and numeracy skills below those needed to participate fully in a knowledge society (over 80 percent of these people are in work). Find out more about ALL.
The reasons for this are many. Modern workplaces are increasingly complex. They demand high levels of literacy and numeracy competence, for example, to communicate with diverse customer groups and colleagues, to record information using sophisticated computerised tools and machines, to perform accurate calculations quickly and to handle various forms of data. Some adults left school with limited skills and qualifications. For others, English is their second language. The fear of mathematics can be a powerful barrier to people taking up further work or learning opportunities.
A workforce with high levels of literacy and numeracy skills will be better able to contribute to developing an increasingly competitive economy. There are also important social benefits for parents, families and communities.