Man’s story to be told abroad

Press, 7 September 1989, Page 7

Man’s story to be told abroad

By

MARITA VANDENBERG

The story of a Christchurch man’s battle over many years to become literate will be told around the world, next year. ; ■ Mr Michael Marquet has been asked by the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (U.N.E.5.C.0.) to write a 4000-word monograph as part of a world literacy year promotion. The monograph will be published next year in numerous languages, along with 40 other selected papers on the subject. Today is annual world literacy day. Looking back, Mr Marquet says .he finds it hard to believe his struggle to learn to read and write had led to him helping others. ■fie had left school at 15 unable to„ read, write or spell his name and with a

severe language disorder. He said he decided one day that he wanted a career in horticulture.

“I applied five times in five years for the course I wanted before I got accepted — the delay was because of my difficulties,” he said. Mr Marquet completed a horticulture scholarship in Australia in 1988 and was nominated for the U.N.E;S.C.O. world literacy prize. The prize was the result of a book he had just written: “Michael’s Challenge: Overcoming Illiteracy.” The book was the first written on illiteracy by a student, as opposed to the many written by teachers and academics.' , ’ ■ ' ..

His monograph will be part of a U.N.E.S.CO. series of “Literacy Les<®ns.” Next year the forty-second intqfr silional conference on education wife also deal with the issues of literacy.