Awards founded to honour adult learners

PEOPLE who have excelled in improving their basic education skills will be honoured later this year.

The award scheme, launched yesterday by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) in partnership with the EBS Building Society, will also recognise the outstanding work being done by those involved in promoting basic education.

The Adults Continuing Education Awards (ACE) will recognise the hard work and dedication of the 5,500 tutors in VEC Adult Literacy Centres, and the 34,000 learners currently improving their literacy and numeracy skills.

The awards ceremony will take place in Dublin on November 12, hosted by RTÉ’s chief news correspondence, Charlie Bird.

NALA and the EBS are encouraging people and organisations to submit nominations in a range of categories by September 30.

The awards are open to all those providing or benefiting from adult basic education (ABC), information and communications technology (ICT) and communications - skills needed to participate fully in society.

Nominees can come from ABC groups, the private sector, Government, statutory bodies and non-government organisations.

NALA director Inez Bailey said they were delighted to celebrate their 25th anniversary by introducing the awards. Chief executive of EBS, Ted McGovern, said the awards would highlight the efforts of community, public and private organisations and their employees who are all involved in adult training and education.

“By highlighting examples of excellence we hope that others will be encouraged to look at successful ways of providing support and assistance across the vast area,” he said.

NALA wants all adults with literacy difficulties to have access to high-quality learning opportunities.