New centre to spearhead effort to cut illiteracy

The need for an effort to further reduce the illiteracy rate was expressed by Education Minister Louis Galea when he opened a new literacy centre at the Robert Samut Hall, in Floriana yesterday.

Although 11.2 per cent of the population were unable to read or write, only two per cent of young people under 20 were defined as being illiterate, he said.

The new centre is designed to provide resources to educators and organisations in their efforts to combat illiteracy, including the use of music, art and other activities that could help children learn how to read and write as a foundation for further learning.

Dr Galea said initiatives to boost literacy were not just aimed at children and students. A team of 30 teachers were being trained to start teaching illiterate adults.

The minister announced the creation of a directory of all the courses being offered in Malta, which number more than 1,520 offered by 140 teaching institutions. The courses are grouped under 400 categories according to type.

The directory will be updated regularly and everyone could make use of it.

The centre is situated at the lower level of Robert Samut Hall, which was originally a Methodist church whose foundation stone was laid in 1883. In 1975 it was named after Robert Samut, who composed the music of the Maltese national anthem.

The church is now used mainly for conferences.