Altamaha Technical College Celebrates International Literacy Day

International Literacy Day is September 8, 2008, and in an effort to commemorate the occasion, and heighten literacy awareness around the state, the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Office of Adult Education (OAE), and Altamaha Technical College will observe this special day.  Each year, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) remind the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. “Despite many and varied efforts, literacy remains an elusive target: some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 72.1 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out” (UNESCO).  In Georgia, over 1.3 million adults are without a high school diploma or GED.

This is not just a global issue, it hits closer to home than most are aware. Altamaha Technical College and its 32 sister colleges around the state continuously strive to improve the literacy status in their service delivery areas (SDA). Altamaha Technical College’s SDA consists of Appling, Jeff Davis, Long, and Wayne Counties and according to the 2006 census has an average illiteracy rate of 31.25%. The highest county within the SDA has a staggering rate of 36.7%.

In our effort to continue to promote the services of its programs (adult education and GED Testing), promote the need for adult education, and to garner the resources of the entire community to help in achieving the goal of “A Fully Literate Georgia,” Altamaha Technical College will be hosting a number of activities throughout the month of September.  Activities will include book readings at local schools, an essay contest, book sale, local author book reading and will conclude with an exciting fundraising activity.  Be on the lookout for more details about the upcoming events.

For more information about the upcoming events or the services offered by Altamaha Technical College please call 912-427-5822 or 800-645-8284.