Adult education classes in Cavan
September marks the beginning of adult education classes in Co. Cavan. Amongst the offerings are Pole-Dancing for Beginners, A course entitled Run Your Own Escort Services, and the ever-popular Potty Training For Adults.
This year sees an attempt to overcome a serious and very painful problem: illiteracy amongst public representatives and officials. The problem has, like so many others in Cavan, been around for years but it was only after receipt of a glossy report compiled by outside experts at huge expense that the full extent of the problem emerged.
Just imagine the difficulties some self-important people with high-sounding titles in the public eye have to go through. Maybe they’ve won election or gained promotion; their photographs appear in the local press every week and they think they’re Go: and then they receive a letter in the posl; courtesy demans a reply; but they’re bolloxed. Slivers of ice-cold perspiration run down their backs. What are they to do? Well what they usually do is ignore the letter and say something derisorily defensive like: “Who does that little hoor think he is to be writing me letters?” or “I never reply to letters from the public.” But the bluster cannot hide the feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy that poor literacy skills confer. This may seem paradoxical – illiteracy is often viewed as a cause of poverty, but in Cavan (and no doubt elsewhere) it is those in highly-paid and important positions who are the least literate, while those who’ve never had any issues with words are below the poverty-line.
Fear has prevented many sufferers from seeking help, while others have sought the help of acquaintances in the legal profession who write letters on their behalf threatening vexatious legal action against anyone who utters a word about their painful and embarrassing problem.
The cost of these intensive literacy classes for public officials and public representatives will naturally be picked up by local government bodies,
And remember, next time you write to a public official, why not include a few stamps for their reply. God knows these cut-backs have made life fierce hard for all in local government.
