Literacy Issues

The government has not conducted any formal survey of literacy in the last nine years. Currently, the Provincial Department of Education recommends using educational attainment (which is closely correlated to literacy levels as it assumes a certain degree of literacy based on achieving certain educational levels) as a measure of adult literacy levels. Educational Attainment levels for Port Hope Simpson (as indicated above) are slightly lower than both the zonal and the provincial averages, indicating a lower than average literacy level. The trends for the future may be found by looking at the current high school enrollments and pass rates for the School District, as below.

Percentage of High School Enrollments that Graduate

^a Fourth year students are those who attended senior high school for at least three years. Figures include all schools located in the area, including francophone, private, first nation and other schools. Education Accounts, Enrollment, 1989-2002, Northern Peninsula/Labrador South School District. Source: Compiled by the Community Accounts Unit based on information provided by the Department of Education, K-12 School Profile System.

Education Accounts, High School Pass Rates, June 2001, School Districts. Source: Compiled by the Community Accounts Unit based on information from the Department of Education.

Taking the total number of enrollees in Senior High School combined with the Pass Rates for 2001, we can determine that 738 of those will pass to their next year, and that 236 of those passing will be completing their senior year (or their 'fourth year') and receive their high school certificate. Thus the Northern Peninsula/Labrador South School District school district graduates approximately 236 students per year.

By way of comparison, the table below presents the pass rates for all school boards in the province. The Northern Peninsula/Labrador South School District has the lowest pass rates in the Province.