This project had its genesis in the work of the Provincial literacy Advisory Committee (PLAC). The Committee was appointed by the Honourable Stanley Hagen in September 1988 when he was Minister of Advanced Education and Job Training and Minister Responsible for Science and Technology. The Report of the Provincial Literacy Advisory Committee was delivered to the Honourable Bruce Strachan, the new Minister of Advanced Education, Training and Technology in December 1989. The report identified at least two areas requiring further research: (a) reasons for nonparticipation in literacy programs, and (b) explanation of attrition rates (p. 50).

In British Columbia, 929,140 persons or two out of five British Columbians 15 years of age and over had no secondary diploma or certificate according to the 1986 Census. Of this total, 256,800 persons have less than a Grade 9 education. According to the Southam Survey (1987), 360,000 British Columbians cannot read, write or use numbers well enough to cope with the demands of contemporary society. This society is one which is rapidly changing in response to technological innovations which are causing restructuring of both the workplace and the marketplace. One manifestation of these changes is the unemployment rate. Another is the labour force participation rate. Table 1 compares these rates for Canada and British Columbia in 1979, while Table 2 compares the 1988 figures for Canada and British Columbia.