REGINA — The Government of Saskatchewan allocating $24 million to Essential Skills programs for residents across the province.
Essential Skills programming, formerly known as Adult Basic Education, plays a vital role in improving education and employment potential for all learners, enhancing quality of life. This programming supports learners in three key areas:
- Developing skills, such as literacy, numeracy and social sciences, essential for employment;
- Increasing education and/or certification levels; and
- Assisting adults to obtain educational prerequisites for further training or employment.
Funding is allocated to seven regional colleges, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, Gabriel Dumont Institute and Lakeland College. Since 2007-08, funding for Essential Skills has increased 51 per cent, an overall increase of $8.1 million.
"The Adult Basic Education/Essential Skills programs are a vital stepping stone for Métis students," Gabriel Dumont Institute Executive Director Lisa Bird-Wilson said.
"GDI's community-based delivery of these programs are meaningful in supporting Métis transitions into the post-secondary education system and workforce."
In 2021-22, nearly 6,000 learners participated in Essential Skills-funded programs. Sixty-three per cent of them completed their program, and within 60 days, 87 per cent either found employment or continued on to further education, a release states.
