Literacy ‘key to lifting children out of poverty’

Published on 29/01/2013 00:27

SCOTLAND’S chief medical officer is calling for more to be done to drive up literacy standards and help lift more children out of poverty.

Sir Harry Burns will tell a conference in Clydebank today that “more concerted and joined-up action” is needed.

He will say: “The development of good literacy skills is of vital importance before, during and beyond the school learning experience.

“A lot of good work is currently being done to improve literacy levels, however, even more concerted joined-up action is needed to meet the government’s commitments to raise literacy standards for all and break the link between poverty and poor literacy.”

Jacqueline Cassidy, of national agency Children in Scotland, which is organising the conference, said: “We fully support the call for more to be done to tackle poor literacy skills through opportunities at local level.”