New Brunswick has been struggling for years with an illiteracy rate which is higher than the Canadian average.
Carol Cottrill, executive director of Laubach Literacy New Brunswick, feels some progress has been made in reducing the rate.
“But I will say, I don’t think the pandemic has really helped us. A lot of programs had to go on hiatus or certainly reduce the hours they were able to offer.”
Cottrill says more learners have been reaching out to literacy councils across the province during the pandemic.
“(They’ve been) requesting support to improve their literacy skills which is a wonderful thing. I think across the province our councils are struggling with having enough tutors available to them.”
Cottrill says their volunteer base has typically been seniors who have been rightfully concerned about their health during the pandemic.
But she adds tutors are slowing coming back and are being trained on new technology such as virtual learning.
Meantime, Laubach Literacy will be holding a virtual gala dinner on November 25th and tickets for the fundraiser have already been sold out.
