READ celebrates International Literacy Day
Those who can read this are more blessed than almost 800 million adults and over 250 million children worldwide who lack basic literacy skills.
Every year on September 8, International Literacy Day is observed to raise awareness and concern about literacy issues that exist both locally and globally.
Those who can read this are more blessed than almost 800 million adults and over 250 million children worldwide who lack basic literacy skills.
Even in this age of modern living, enlightenment and technology, there are still people who can’t read, write and learn.
In South Africa, the statistics are bleak.
According to nationally representative surveys, the adult illiteracy rate is at a staggering 12% and more than half (58%) of South African children do not learn to read fluently and with comprehension in any language by the end of Grade Four.
Illiteracy comes at a high price
Literacy is a fundamental pillar of a broader education.
When there is a confidence to read, there is a confidence to learn, both in and out of the classroom.
Sadly, children and teens who have difficulty reading are more likely to drop out of school before completing their basic education.
This creates a negative and profound ripple effect.
Did you know that The World Literacy Foundation estimates that illiteracy costs the global economy $1.5-trillion (R22-t) per year?
No matter how ambitious one’s goals and efforts are, a lack of basic literacy and numeracy abilities automatically disqualifies many people from a wide range of quality jobs, contributing to poverty and unemployment.
Illiterate workers earn 30 to 42% less than their literate counterparts and are also more likely than those with better literacy skills to suffer poor health.
The gift of literacy
There is far more to literacy than just being able to read a book or write a shopping list.
Being able to read, write and comprehend what is being read gives a person the building blocks they need to improve their quality of life and lays the groundwork for developing abilities needed to be self-sufficient.
Every literate woman marks a victory over poverty
Women account for more than two-thirds of the world’s illiterates, according to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
This statistic correlates with an estimation that 60% of chronically hungry people are women and girls.
When the illiteracy cycle is broken, girls will be able to become economically engaged and self-sufficient, gaining a valuable asset for their own success: self-respect.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon stressed the transformative effect on both a family and the wider community when a woman is literate.
He said that literate women are more likely to send their children, especially their girls, to school.
Women become more economically self-sufficient and active participants in their country’s social, political and cultural life when they learn to read and write.
Year after year, READ Educational Trust promotes literacy
READ Educational Trust, an NPO, has been working hard in the education and literacy sectors since 1979, implementing teacher training and literacy initiatives in schools.
READ, which is supported by people and the corporate sector, has made fantastic progress despite the enormity of the task at hand.
READ observes the importance of International Literacy Day to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society.
Visit the website www.read.org.za to join the conversation.
