The oil price dictates the economic wellbeing of our country. In T&T, high oil prices bring work opportunities and government make-work and pay-to-learn programmes. Those with low literacy can make a living.
Declining oil prices bring job losses and the drying up of government programmes. The blow falls heavily on the less literate as they compete with the more literate for fewer jobs and fewer social programmes.
You can cushion this blow in two ways. First, encourage adults you know to come to Alta to improve their literacy and thus their self-reliance. They will be better prepared for the hard times ahead and better equipped to make their own work opportunities if needed.
In recognition of the economic difficulties ahead, Alta will take in new students in the first week of January 2016 in classes with spare capacity.
Alta usually opens our classes to new students only at the start of the academic year in September and October, but this one-time 2016 opportunity is possible since Alta’s registration was undersubscribed due to the September 7 General Election.
The other way to help our people weather the coming economic downturn is to volunteer to teach adults to read and write at ALTA. Check the diagram for the five steps to becoming an Alta tutor.
