Henderson subsequently concluded that there is a need for "bridging" programs for women, particularly in the areas of pre-trades and pre-tech, programs in which women can acquire at least some training in the basic sciences, particularly in mathematics and physics.

As has been mentioned earlier, to acquire basic science skills, persons must be at least functionally literate. Under-educated or functionally illiterate women, therefore, cannot take advantage of even "pre-trade" or "pre-tech" programs. Before they can enter these "bridging" programs, they must first become functionally literate.

[A point that should be attended to, though not in this forum, is the fact that the teaching establishment is not prepared (skills-wise and values-wise) to teach basic science to adult women. This is an important issue given the fact that 87 percent of functionally illiterate women are over 34 years old.]

Implications for the Provision of Educational Programs for Functionally Illiterate Women

It has been pointed out that 24.1 percent of the female adult population Canada have less than a grade nine level of education; and that only 2.3 percent of these under-Educated women participate in educational programs. It has also been shown that under-educated women need to attain not only functional literacy skills in print, but also technical literacy skills, particularly in mathematics and physics. This implies that educational programs for under-educated women must include basic training in science. Most importantly, education for under-educated women should aim to inform them about non-traditional occupations, and to give them the confidence to train for and enter into these occupations.

This kind of job-oriented and, indeed, future-oriented education, will help to bridge the gap between under-educated women and those training programs through which they can acquire the skills for entry into non- traditional occupations. Without these "bridge" under-educated women are doomed to a life of poverty and passive citizenship. Such a life is the opposite of the ideal in our liberal, democratic society

References

1. Statistics Canada 1981, Catalogue 92-914, Vol. 1 Table 8.
2. Statistics Canada 1981, Catalogue 92-921, Vol. 1 Table 4.
3. Statistics Canada 1981, Catalogue 92-931, Vol. 1 Table 1.
4. Oscar Lewis, "The Culture of Poverty," Poverty in Canada, edited by John Hart and John R. Hoffley (Scarborough, Ontario: Prentiss-Hall, 1971), p. 225.
5. Heather Henderson, "The National Training Act: It's Impact on Women," (Toronto: C.C.L.O.W., 1984), p. 36.

Paula De Coito is a researcher at C.C.L.O.W. in the field of Adult Basic Education. She is currently completing her Ph.D. at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.