SASKATCHEWAN STUDENT RECEIVES NATIONAL ADULT EDUCATION AWARD

Advanced Education Minister Don Morgan presented the 2011 GED® National Award for Distinguished Achievement to Mr. Gareth Doyle at the SIAST Kelsey campus in Saskatoon.

Each year, the GED Testing Service®, with headquarters in Washington, D.C., presents an award, the GED® National Award for Distinguished Achievement, to the individual or individuals who received the highest score on all five GED® tests written in each province, territory or state.

Doyle received a score of 3,750 of a possible 4,000 points on all five tests in June of 2011, which was the highest score out of 1,416 individuals who wrote the GED® tests in 2011. Doyle immigrated to Saskatoon from the U.K. in 2010; on advice from Saskatoon Trades and Skills, he took the GED® preparation course through SIAST Kelsey campus to prepare to write the GED Tests to obtain the GED® Grade 12 Equivalency Diploma. Doyle received a perfect score (800/800) on three of the individual tests.

"A high school completion credential is the foundation of the knowledge, skills and training necessary for the pursuit of further knowledge and a career," Morgan said. "Mr. Doyle is deserving of our highest congratulations for his efforts and achievement, and our government is striving to encourage these values and qualities as our plans for Saskatchewan's continued growth are put into action."

Doyle also won the Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration (AEEI) GED® Academic Achievement Award which was presented to him at the Saskatchewan Adult Basic Education Association (SABEA) Conference in Melfort last May. The recipient of this award must have obtained the highest score in the province for the previous calendar year, and must have completed a GED® preparation course from a post-secondary institution - in this case, SIAST - that received funding from AEEI.

GED® provides adults with the opportunity to earn a high school completion credential, the GED® Grade 12 Equivalency Diploma. Candidates must complete a set of five tests: math, science, reading, writing and social studies. The five GED® Tests, which last more than seven hours over two days, also measure communication, information processing, problem solving and critical thinking skills.

Since 1970, close to 70,000 Saskatchewan adults have earned their GED® Grade 12 Equivalency Diploma.

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For more information, contact:

Deb Young
Economy
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4765
Email: deb.young@enterprisesask.ca