đź“° Adult Literacy News Summary
Bridget Phillipson pushes back at criticism over potential Year 8 reading tests
30-Sep-2025 - UK
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson defended the need to assess schoolchildren’s reading after a union backlash over the expected introduction of mandatory tests for 13-year-olds. The Government is set to introduce compulsory reading tests at the end of Year 8 in England under plans in the forthcoming Schools White Paper.
Read moreQufu hosts UNESCO education prize
29-Sep-2025 - China
The birthplace of philosopher Confucius, Qufu in Shandong province, hosted the award ceremony of the 20th UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy on Saturday evening where projects from Bangladesh, Ireland and Morocco were recognized for their contributions to innovation in education and the promotion of equal access to learning.
Read moreCamden celebrates the achievements of adult learners and volunteers
29-Sep-2025 - UK
Last week (Friday 26 September), Camden celebrated the achievements of adult learners and the invaluable contributions of volunteers at the annual Adult Learning Awards. Taking place at the British Library, the event recognised the inspiring journeys of learners who have taken steps to gain new skills and qualifications to find work, explore new passions, boost confidence, or improve health and wellbeing.
Read moreDoes your school have a library?
29-Sep-2025 - UK
The government has announced there will be a library in every primary school in England by 2029. The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves made the announcement on Monday, promising to spend over ÂŁ10m on the project. Right now, there are around 1,700 primaries without a library. The government has said it will "set out further details of the scheme in due course."
Read moreWhy Adult Education Matters More Than Ever
26-Sep-2025 - UK
Every year Adult Learners’ Week shines a light on the transformative power of learning. It’s a chance to celebrate people who have taken the leap back into education and to reflect on what more we can do to ensure that opportunities are open to everyone in Wales. Initial findings from this year’s survey of adult participation in learning offer a timely reminder of both the promise and the challenge. The data shows that just over one in five adults in Wales are currently engaged in learning (22%) and nearly half (47%) have taken part within the last three years.
Read more2026 Budget Cuts Indigenous Adult Literacy Programs
24-Sep-2025 - Mexico
Mexico's 2026 federal budget proposal includes reductions of MX$119 million (US$6.48 million) for programs supporting indigenous education and adult literacy, raising concerns about the potential impact on ongoing initiatives. The plan would cut MX$104 million (USS5.66 million) from the National Institute for Adult Education ('NEA) and MXSI S million (USSO.83 million) from the Directorate of Indigenous Intercultural and Bilingual Education.
Read moreSarah Ferguson dropped from multiple charities over Epstein email
23-Sep-2025 - UK
The Duchess of York has been removed as patron of six charities after an email from 2011 emerged in which she called sex offender Jeffrey Epstein her “supreme friend” and seemed to apologise for her public criticism of him.
Read moreBBC 500 Words creative writing competition returns for children across the UK
23-Sep-2025 - UK
The UK’s most successful writing competition for children, BBC 500 Words, opens today, Tuesday 23 September. The competition, supported by BBC Bitesize for Teachers, encourages children of all abilities to dive deep into their imagination and write the story they would love to read in 500 words or fewer, without fear of spelling, grammar or punctuation errors.
Read moreStrengthening Literacy in Nigeria: Lessons, experiences from UK-funded PLANE programme
22-Sep-2025 - Nigeria
The Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme is a flagship education programme funded by the UK Government through the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The nine-year programme which officially began in 2019, is committed to improving foundational literacy and numeracy across Nigeria by strengthening teaching, learning, policy environment, community participation and every part of the education delivery system.
Read moreCoventry secures ÂŁ1m to support disadvantaged young people
22-Sep-2025 - UK
Coventry City Council has received almost £250,000 in additional Government funding, bringing total investment in youth education programmes to over £1m. The funding will target the city’s most disadvantaged 19-24-year-olds, including those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), providing life-changing skills training.
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