National Adult Literacy Database

The latest official research data put the illiteracy rate in Mozambique at 43.9 per cent. But this figure is an average and hides great differences between the country’s various provinces, between men and women, and between the cities and the countryside.

Canadians aged 50 and over are working later and delaying retirement, regardless of their level of education. However, because of a shorter life expectancy, the less-educated are likely to spend fewer years in retirement, a new report from Statistics Canada indicates.

CBC Radio WAM (Weekend Arts Magazine) in St. John's, NL, featured author and NALD Honorary Chair Roch Carrier in an interview recently. The Quebec novelist, playwright and short story writer believes it is a challenge to get young people to read books these days. At 75, Mr. Carrier continues to exude passion for reading and literacy.

“I thank all volunteers for their exceptional work in supporting communities, learning and innovation, which strengthens Canada in many ways,” said Minister Diane Finley. “Volunteers play an enormously important role in our collective responsibility to foster a more caring Canada where everyone works together to support communities.”

A report, authored by the IBM Center for Applied Insights, found that only one in 10 organizations has the skills needed to effectively apply advanced technologies such as business analytics, mobile computing, cloud computing and social business. In addition, nearly half of the educators and students surveyed feel there is a major gap in their institution's ability to meet the growing demand for advanced technology skills.

The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation is accepting submissions for the 2012 Community Service-Learning (CSL) Awards competition. CSL is a model of experiential learning that combines classroom learning with volunteer work to achieve community goals and instill in students a sense of civic engagement. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2013.

'Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100' is Canada's best-known awards program for the country's highest-achieving women leaders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. "We believe that investing in the enormous untapped potential of women is a strategic imperative. Women are not only the largest pool of incoming talent globally — for our organization as well as others worldwide — but they are also our future clients and the biggest economic growth engines of the next decade. -- Trent Henry, Ernst & Young's Canadian Chairman and CEO

Public sector employees in Canada take nearly five more sick, disability and personal days per year than Canadians working in the private sector, at an annual cost of up to $3.5 billion, says a report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

An analysis of Canada’s job market shows there is a growing divide between have and have not occupations. On one hand, we are increasingly seeing jobs go unfilled for long stretches due to a lack of skilled applicants. In fact, the Prime Minister recently described skills shortages in the Canadian labour market as “the biggest challenge our country faces.” But on the other end of the labour market spectrum, there is growing evidence that the size of the labour surplus pool is also on the rise.

"Whether Canadians with sight loss need information about education, interview techniques, or workplace accommodation, access to employment resources for people who are blind or partially sighted will ensure meaningful employment in a wide range of fields for years to come," says Penny Hartin, Chief Executive Officer of the World Blind Union.

In his new free workshop for 2013, Tom Sticht reviews extensive data on intergenerational inequalities in education and economics. He also presents data from many studies to suggest that greater investments in the education of undereducated youth and adults, many of whom are parents or will become parents, can help break the multiple life cycles of inequalities in education and economic achievement.

For the second year in a row, Decoda Literacy Solutions staff spent the fall travelling to eight regions around British Columbia for two-day training, networking and idea-sharing events.

Toronto Public Library has announced its sixth annual First & Best Booklist, the highly anticipated selection of the year's best in Canadian books for children from birth to age five that are fun to read and help build early literacy skills.

Skills/Compétences Canada, a national not-for-profit organization that actively promotes careers in skilled trades, has announced that Lowe's will be renewing its Toolbox for Education Grant Program for 2013. This will be the third year that Lowe's, in partnership with Skills/Compétences Canada, offers the program benefiting students and educators in Ontario and Alberta.

An overwhelming majority (96 per cent) of Canadian owners of small and medium-sized businesses agree that workers 65 years and older offer more valuable experience and expertise than younger workers, according to new research from Investors Group. Sixty-nine per cent contend that this group is not more expensive to employ.