Tift County to Honor National Adult Education Week
Moultrie Technical College, the Tift County Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA), the Tift County Certified Literate Community Program (CLCP) and the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) have joined in the declaration to celebrate National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, September 13-17, 2010.
This congressional declaration, H. Res. 1472, was sponsored by Rep. Jared Polis [D-CO] and is the culmination of literacy advocacy and outreach resulting in twenty co-signers in the House. Georgia Congressman John Lewis of the 5th Congressional District added his name in support.
Adult education and family literacy programs serve adult students who need to improve their basic literacy and math skills, improve their oral and written English, practice for the GED test to attain a high school equivalence degree, and prepare for community college or vocational training.
According to a recent national survey of adults, over 93 million American adults have basic or below basic literacy skills that limit their ability to advance at work and in education, help their children with school work, interact with their health care professionals, and participate in their communities.
Family literacy programs serve parents and their young children, teaching basic skills, English as a Second Language, and parenting skills to the adults while the children are provided high quality preschool programming. These programs are focused on breaking the cycles of low literacy, low education and poverty.
A 2003 study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics reported that Tift County has a 21 percent rate of low literacy which significantly surpasses Georgia’s statewide rate of 17 percent. Moultrie Technical College’s Adult Education program is working to change that through the free classes it offers for people ages 16 and over.
“Moultrie Tech has excellent teachers who are ready to assist students in advancing their education. Forty percent of GED diploma recipients continue their education in the MTC credit programs,” said MTC Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs Jerry Smith.
In its four-county service delivery area of Colquitt, Tift, Turner and Worth, Moultrie Tech has served an average of 1,350 students per year over the last four years with an average of 320 students per year obtaining a GED credential.
During fiscal year 2010 MTC’s Adult Education program worked with a total of 2,158 students. Out of that number, 1,449 students completed the orientation and assessment process and enrolled in class. There were more than 190,000 student in-class participation hours logged from July 2009 to June 2010 at Moultrie Tech.
The local LVA and CLCP, volunteer organizations that promote literacy initiatives throughout Tift County, partner with Moultrie Tech to see county-wide education levels increase. They provide tutoring for students who need help with specific skills and for those who need assistance with passing the Georgia high school graduation test.
The MTC Tifton Campus offers morning and evening GED preparation as well as classes at the Tifton Workforce Center and the Tifton Housing Authority. The Workforce Center also provides English as a Second Language (ESL) classes.
For more information about Moultrie Tech’s Adult Education program, contact MTC Tifton Campus Adult Education instructor Sandra Griffin at (229) 391-2615 or log on to www.moultrietech.edu/adulted.
