Good literacy skills are essential for children and adults alike

TODAY is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) International Literacy Day.

In Hull this year we have seen further improvement in national test results from early years to school- leavers.

Having good personal literacy standards is the key to opening many doors.

Good literacy skills are both educational and career enhancing which can affect us throughout our lives and for many of us it is some- thing we take for granted.

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As Unesco rightly says, literacy is a human right and a tool of empowerment.

Without this basic skill people could find it difficult to get a job, provide for their family, or progress their education or career further, which in turn will improve their quality of life.

Over the years, steady improvements have also been made in the early years and primary phases of education and we are continuing to keep our aspirations high and make further improvements to standards across the city for all age groups.

It is vital we continue to do so as without good literacy (and numeracy) standards, the city is incapable of supplying a well educated workforce to the city's varied industries.

If we fail to ensure we educate people to a basic standard as a minimum, businesses may look outside of Hull to employ people or even do their trade elsewhere.

To help Hull's economy to grow and enable the city to flourish, we must ensure that everyone has the chance to, at the very least, achieve basic literacy standards.

Not only will this help attract businesses to the city, but it will give people more job opportunities and a chance of a better standard of living, which is a right we all have.

It will also give our young people something to aspire to and encourage them to achieve great things.

It is important to recognise it isn't just a bottom-up approach of education we need to ensure is right. Adults are equally as important and should be given the chance to improve their literacy standards.

Hull City Council is one of many training providers in Hull that has courses on offer to help people to either brush up on their skills or learn a new skill.

Courses such as this can assist people to improve their job prospects, support their children through their education or help them with a change of career.

We know some adults may not have enjoyed their time at school, but our free English and maths courses are a different environment and people can join throughout the year.

Visit www.hullcc.gov.uk or call 01482 300300.