Directions: Journal of Educational Studies, Volume 28 (1 & 2) 2006
The basics of learning: literacy and numeracy in the Pacific
Introduction
A literate and Numerate Society
Priscilla Puamau
A literate and numerate society with citizens well versed in the ins and outs of
their indigenous/local cultures and languages, as well as the required life skills to
function effectively at home, at school, in the community, nationally and in a
rapidly globalising world—this is the ideal picture that Pacific governments and
community leaders envisage for their people, for their society, for their country.
And yet, sadly, the reality indicates that levels of literacy and numeracy are under
threat in Pacific Island countries (PICs), contributing to significant numbers of
Pacific students underachieving in English and mathematics.
Literacy and numeracy are contested terms. They mean different things in different
contexts at different times. Traditionally, literacy was viewed as the ability to
read (and write) although the term used then was ‘reading’, not ‘literacy’. Before
the 1970s, the term literacy was used in relation to programmes of non-formal
instruction, particularly in relation to adults who were deemed illiterate, and was
never used as a ‘formal educational ideal’ (Lankshear & Knobel, 2003: 4). Today,
however, literacy permeates formal educational discourse and has become central
to educational planning, policy and practice, and also to curriculum development.
Similarly, the term numeracy was synonymous with mathematical ability but now
it is generally understood ‘as a competence in interpreting and using numbers in
daily life, within the home, employment and society’ (Brown, 2005: ix).
Fashionable offshoots of literacy include multi-literacies, bi-literacy, critical
literacy, cultural literacy, adult literacy, vernacular literacy, media literacy and
information literacy. Vernacular literacy and information literacy are increasingly
gaining prominence in the Pacific region, the former because of its socio-cultural
significance and the latter for its economic and educational importance.
Pacific vision for education
As used in this book, the term ‘the Pacific region’ includes the fourteen politically
independent countries that have membership in the Pacific Islands Forum (more
commonly known as the Forum): Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia
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(FSM), Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea
(PNG), Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Tokelau is included
as the fifteenth country—it is in the process of achieving self-government in free
association with New Zealand.
The Forum Ministers for Education met in New Zealand in May 2001, as directed
by Forum leaders of government at their meeting in Palau in November 1999, to
consider issues of human resource development, particularly the delivery of basic
education in the Pacific region. The Forum Basic Education Action Plan (FBEAP),
developed at this meeting, has the following as the vision and goals for education
in the Pacific:
Vision
Basic education as the fundamental building block for society should
engender the broader life skills that lead to social cohesion and provide the
foundations for vocational callings, higher education and life long learning.
These when combined with enhanced employment opportunities create a
higher level of personal and societal security and development.
Forum members recognised that development of basic education takes place
in the context of commitments to the world community and meeting the
new demands of the global economy, which should be balanced with the
enhancement of their own distinctive Pacific values, morals, social, political,
economic and cultural heritages, and reflect the Pacific’s unique geographical
context.
Goals
To achieve universal and equitable educational participation and achievement.
To ensure access and equity and improve quality and outcomes. (Pacific
Islands Forum Secretariat, 2001: 1-2)
The Ministers for Education noted, amongst other things, that weaknesses in
education systems include low basic literacy and numeracy achievements. While
basic education means different things in different contexts, the Forum Ministers
for Education have identified basic education as all educational provision: early
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childhood education, primary education, secondary education, and technical and
vocational education and training (TVET) in both the formal and non-formal
sectors—everything except tertiary and adult education.
Implicit in the vision and goals as articulated by Pacific Ministers for Education is
the need to get the basics done properly—at all levels of schooling, but particularly
in the early years of schooling. Literacy and numeracy are inextricably intertwined
at all levels of school curricula. And it is important that children and youths are
grounded well in the skills and knowledge that will enable them to succeed at each
level, including the functional mastery of reading and writing, and competency
in using numbers.
The PRIDE Project
The PRIDE1 Project, an initiative of the Forum Ministers for Education, was
designed to implement the Pacific vision for education encapsulated in FBEAP.
Implementation of this project began in 2004 and is expected to end in 2009. Its
overall objective is:
To expand opportunities for children and youth to acquire the values,
knowledge and skills that will enable them to actively participate in the social,
spiritual, economic and cultural development of their communities and to
contribute positively to creating sustainable futures (www.usp.ac.fj/pride).
The Project seeks to strengthen the capacity of each of the 15 countries identified
above to deliver quality education through both formal and non-formal means in
order to achieve its objective. The development of strategic plans for education in
each country that blend the best global approaches with local values and ways of
thinking is the expected key outcome. Support for the implementation of these
national strategic plans is provided by the Project. Sharing of best practice and
experience amongst countries is also an important project outcome, evidenced
through the development of an online resource centre (see www.paddle.usp.
ac.fj).
1. PRIDE is an acronym for the Pacific Regional Initiatives for the Delivery of basic Education,
a project funded by the EU and NZAID and implemented by the University of the South
Pacific. More information is available on http://www.usp
www
.ac.fj/pride
.usp
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Directions: Journal of Educational Studies, Volume 28 (1 & 2) 2006
In relation to literacy and numeracy, the PRIDE Project Benchmarks (see www.
usp.ac.fj/pride), a key document that contains 11 benchmarks used to review
national education strategic plans, articulates benchmark 2 as ‘skills for life and
work locally, regionally, and globally’. The principle states:
The Plan contains strategies for the systematic teaching and learning of
literacy, numeracy, ICT, vernacular and English languages, together with
life and work preparation skills, within a balanced curriculum framework,
to equip all students to take their place, with ease and confidence, in their
local communities, regional context, and global world (The PRIDE Project,
2007:2).
Indicators include:
•
Clear statements of curriculum outcomes in the teaching and learning of
literacy, numeracy, and vernacular and English languages across all levels and
integrated across all learning areas.
•
Clear statement on strategies for the development of life and work preparation
skills, including TVET programs.
•
Clear statement of promotion and incorporation of information literacy across
the curriculum and supported by properly equipped and resourced libraries
and learning centres to ensure access to and use of quality information.
•
Clear statement on the integration of ICT in teaching and learning. (The
PRIDE Project, 2007: 2)
Many Pacific countries have placed an emphasis on a proper grounding in literacy
(in both English and the vernacular) and numeracy (or mathematics) in their
national education plans and/or curriculum frameworks. Two examples will
suffice. In the Cook Islands, one of the ten strategic directions in the Cook Islands
Ministry of Education five-year strategic plan (2002-2006) is ‘strengthening
literacy and numeracy, particularly at pre-school and primary level’ by developing,
testing, using and monitoring strategies for effective learning (Cook Islands
Ministry of Education, 2002: 11). Similarly, in Palau, priority number one has
been identified as: ‘Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring
excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved
by all, especially in literacy, numeracy, and essential life skills’ (Palau Ministry of
Education, 2003: 12).
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The fifth PRIDE regional workshop
To illustrate the importance placed on the teaching and learning of literacy
and numeracy the PRIDE Project Steering Committee, made up of directors
or permanent secretaries of education from its 15 participating countries and
representatives from donor agencies, the Forum Secretariat, the University of
the South Pacific (USP) and NGOs, at its 2005 meeting endorsed literacy and
numeracy as a regional workshop topic for the following year.
The 5th PRIDE Project regional workshop was held in Tonga in May 2006. It
was attended by senior curriculum and teacher professional development officers
responsible for curriculum development and delivery in the fields of literacy (both
English and vernacular) and mathematics at the primary level from 15 Pacific
countries.
The aim of the workshop was to engage participants in the process of
reconceptualising the way literacy (both English and vernacular) and numeracy
is thought about and practised in their own country, and in the region. Part
of the process required reflecting on global developments in these areas and
examining the implications for the Pacific. The notion of syncretising the best of
the contemporary global with the best of the local was central to the workshop.
Specifically, the workshop:
•
explored contemporary global thinking about literacy and numeracy
•
examined the implications of these new ideas for the Pacific
•
reconceptualised the way literacy and numeracy are thought about and
practised in schools, especially from the perspective of local cultures, languages
and epistemologies
•
discussed literacy and numeracy issues facing curriculum developers and
teachers and identified ways to deepen their awareness and understanding of
contemporary theorising in these areas
•
recommended strategies that will help to revitalise the development and
delivery of literacy and numeracy programmes in each country.
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References
Brown, M. 2005. ‘Foreword’. In Navigating numeracies. Home/school numeracy practices,
eds B. Street, D. Baker & A. Tomlin. Springer, The Netherlands.
Cooks Islands Ministry of Education. 2002. Ministry of Education 5 year plan (draft June
2002). Ministry of Education, Cook Islands.
Lankshear, C. & Knobel, M. 2003. New literacies. Changing knowledge and classroom
learning. Open University Press, United Kingdom.
Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. 2001. Forum Basic Education Action Plan. Pacific Islands
Forum Secretariat, Suva.
Palau Ministry of Education. 2003.
2003. Education for All National Plan 2002-2010. Republic
of Palau, Ministry of Education.
The PRIDE Project. 2007. Benchmarks for National Strategic Plans. Institute of Education,
University of the South Pacific, Suva, fourth edition, revised May 2007. http://
www.usp.ac.fj/pride
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