Well at least this is the statement being promoted on local radio stations in New Zealand to raise awareness to literacy issues.

One in four adults having trouble with words? English words?

It’s hard to imagine this actually being the truth.

Lets assume this research is correct and wasn’t constructed out of a research sample size of 10 people, all living in the same street in the lower socio-economic area of Auckland:

What a harsh endictment on the education system of New Zealand, and in particular the education minister Steve Maharey. (Probably to a lesser degree the immigration minister David Cunliffe.)

Why are our schools churning out kids who can’t read & write? 

I’ll bet those same kids have had sporting activities, equal outcomes, and the Treaty of Waitangi rammed down their throats at school.

Surely the fundamental of education is to prepare the individual for the reality of the world, and to arm them with skills that will be of value to themselves and others?

Likewise, why is our country allowing immigrants to settle here without first ensuring they have a chance of success?

Too many immigrants settle here without being able to speak english.

Perhaps immigration is part of the reason this statistic is shamefully high.

I digress…. The part of the story that realy erks me is the government arming these people with “Literacy Cards” to present in situations where they cannot understand written words.

Presumably, shopkeepers, bank tellers, finance companies (shudder) etc. are expected to give these card-holders the extra assistance they require.

These cards, (to use verbatim from the advertisement) “simply mean that the person presenting them has trouble with words.”

My god, what a sad pathetic lot we’re becomming with the guidance of comrade Helen and her socialist buddies.

To produce a system to allow people to continue having an excuse for not reading & writing is about as practical as a barber shop on the steps of a guillotine!

As a wild suggestion, why don’t we spend more tax payers money getting these people back into school (at whatever age), rather than holding their hand for the rest of time.

How the hell these illiterate people would know what is written on the card they are presenting is beyond me.

What if they have more than one card in their wallet???