Romantic Old Bird
21-08-2003, 02:31 PM
Just spotted this on the BBC website folks: August 18th 2003
New drive against learning 'gremlins'
Phil Tufnell takes on his own "gremlin"
A number of TV personalities have given their backing to a renewed campaign to improve adults' educational skills.
Adverts will build on the previous theme of the Get On campaign, featuring people being tormented by a little gremlin - their embarrassment over a lack of basic literacy or numeracy skills.
The Department for Education and Skills says the latest figures show that since the campaign began two years ago, some 320,000 people have gained a reading, writing or maths qualification, and millions more have started courses.
Among those in the new campaign is former cricketer and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here winner Phil Tufnell.
"When I was growing up all I thought about was cricket, so it's fair to say I wasn't too hot at things like spelling," he says.
"But just because you missed out on a chance to learn first time around, doesn't mean you can't go back into learning and knock your own Gremlins for six!"
Homework help
For the cameras he took on his own gremlin, played by Harry Potter and Willow star Warwick Davis, at the Oval cricket ground in London.
At the launch education minister Ivan Lewis said millions of adults in the UK did not have the skills of an average 11 year old.
"This lack of basic skills affects many areas of their lives - from how much they get paid, to being unable to help their children with homework.
"Many people with poor basic skills will see their own children or other young people getting their GCSEs later this week - something they feel they could never achieve themselves.
"Tackling the problem of adult basic skills is a key priority for the government and we are determined to help 1.5 million adults improve their reading, writing and maths by 2007."
Others supporting the campaign are Jamie Oliver, Craig Doyle, Dolly Parton, Alvin Hall, Big Brother 2's Helen Adams, 'Handy' Andy Kane and Tommy Walsh.
New drive against learning 'gremlins'
Phil Tufnell takes on his own "gremlin"
A number of TV personalities have given their backing to a renewed campaign to improve adults' educational skills.
Adverts will build on the previous theme of the Get On campaign, featuring people being tormented by a little gremlin - their embarrassment over a lack of basic literacy or numeracy skills.
The Department for Education and Skills says the latest figures show that since the campaign began two years ago, some 320,000 people have gained a reading, writing or maths qualification, and millions more have started courses.
Among those in the new campaign is former cricketer and I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here winner Phil Tufnell.
"When I was growing up all I thought about was cricket, so it's fair to say I wasn't too hot at things like spelling," he says.
"But just because you missed out on a chance to learn first time around, doesn't mean you can't go back into learning and knock your own Gremlins for six!"
Homework help
For the cameras he took on his own gremlin, played by Harry Potter and Willow star Warwick Davis, at the Oval cricket ground in London.
At the launch education minister Ivan Lewis said millions of adults in the UK did not have the skills of an average 11 year old.
"This lack of basic skills affects many areas of their lives - from how much they get paid, to being unable to help their children with homework.
"Many people with poor basic skills will see their own children or other young people getting their GCSEs later this week - something they feel they could never achieve themselves.
"Tackling the problem of adult basic skills is a key priority for the government and we are determined to help 1.5 million adults improve their reading, writing and maths by 2007."
Others supporting the campaign are Jamie Oliver, Craig Doyle, Dolly Parton, Alvin Hall, Big Brother 2's Helen Adams, 'Handy' Andy Kane and Tommy Walsh.