Funding cuts mean the end for a local community level English as a Second Language literacy program.
“English as a Second Language used to be sponsored by the Province of British Columbia, but the Federal Government has since clawed back that funding,” says Kate Eddy, program coordinator at the Campbell River Literacy Association. “The Federal Government has gone though their own allocation process, so no community groups in the Province of BC received English as a Second Language finding for the 214 to 2015 year.”
Eddy says the program that has been helping people learn English in Campbell River for seven years had its last day on March 31.
“Our program ending … is actually going to displace 74 learners and 42 volunteer tutors.”
Eddy says some students will be able to stream into English as a Second Language classes at local colleges, but for others there will be no help with real life skills such as how to navigate a grocery store.
