Evaluation of the Northern Adult Basic Education Program - Summary
Program Profile
The Northern Adult Basic Education Program (NABEP) provides working-age Northerners with increased opportunities to improve their core literacy and numeracy competencies thereby enabling them to benefit from economic opportunities the North has to offer. The NABEP has two objectives: (1) to improve adult basic education services and capacity in the territories and their colleges; and (2) to increase the number of working age adults with basic workplace skills, such as literacy and numeracy.
The NABEP is a time-limited, five-year program (2011-12 to 2015-16) with the objective of providing funding to the three territorial colleges to build sufficient capacity to deliver expanded, improved adult basic education capacity. The Program was extended for one year in 2016-17 as per Budget 2016 announcement. The total contribution funding 2011 - 2017 amounts to $28.5 million.
About the Evaluation
The objective of the evaluation is to provide observations regarding the NABEP's relevance and performance. The evaluation of the NABEP covers the period from April 2011 to March 2015, and includes insights, observations and recommendations. It was completed in October 2016.
The tasks of data and information analysis and reporting were carried out by CanNor's Policy and Planning Directorate in collaboration with consulting firm R.A. Malatest & Associates Ltd., which assisted in developing the reporting and data-gathering (interviews) methodology. Lines of evidence included the following: 26 key informant interviews that were conducted as part of the data-gathering process; a literature and document review; and an analysis of the program data, as well as secondary data from relevant sources.
Key Findings
The evaluation found that the NABEP is considered relevant, and that the territorial colleges, which are the primary delivery organizations of adult basic education, have demonstrated that they are well positioned to deliver the NABEP.
The NABEP is aligned with Government of Canada priorities in that it assists working-age Northerners, particularly Indigenous learners in remote communities, to acquire the basic skills they need to join the workforce and take advantage of emerging economic opportunities. At the same time, the program is one of several federal programs that address skills development and workforce readiness, and in some instances it is similar to those funded by the territorial governments and directed to the northern colleges.
With respect to performance, the NABEP has provided the territorial colleges with the tools needed to improve their base level of adult basic education, as well as with their capacity to deliver adult basic education services, including literacy and numeracy courses. The NABEP has been instrumental making adult basic education services available to learners in remote communities, and has had a positive impact on individuals.
Lessons learned
The evaluation outlines the following lessons learned from the implementation of the program:
- Program terms and conditions should continue to provide the northern colleges with flexibility to design and deliver adult basic education activities and material.
- Existing or proposed mechanisms for delivering adult basic education in the North should be examined to ensure alignment of federal programs.
- The program's performance measurement methodology should include outcomes that are achievable during the short term of the program.
- Standardization of the program data-gathering and reporting processes should be implemented to ensure streamlined reporting on results.