The WCED will add more than 1100 teaching posts. Photo: pexels.com
This initiative also makes provision for adults to acquire the necessary literacy skills.
The WCED will add more than 1100 teaching posts. Photo: pexels.com
This year’s International Literacy Day takes place on Monday, 8 September, and the United Nations has dubbed its theme as: “literacy and multilingualism”, in support of indigenous languages across the world.
This day is established by the United Nations and celebrated annually with a key aim to highlight improvements in literacy, and numeracy rates while also providing a chance to reflect on the world’s literacy challenges.
International Literacy Day plans to eradicate illiteracy and enables organisations and civil society, an opportunity to appreciate the progress being made to a more literate society.
“On the occasion of International Literacy Day 2019, the main characteristics of multilingualism in today’s globalized and digitalized world will be discussed, together with their implications for literacy in policies and practice to achieve greater inclusion in multilingual contexts.”
United Nations
The United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has listed literacy as a key element in measuring sustainable development across countries.
This year, International Literacy Day also celebrates the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages and the 25th anniversary of the World Conference on Special Needs Education.
The United Nations has noted that progress has been made in literacy rates, however, challenges continue to persist as it is distributed unevenly across countries and populations.
Furthermore embracing linguistic diversity in education, and literacy is crucial to tackling the literacy challenges that continue to persist. Literacy development is central to addressing literacy challenges, as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals are achieved.
In 2015, global leaders established Sustainable Development Goals and centred the core values to support universal access to quality education and learning opportunities.
A prevalent target for this initiative is ensuring that all young people achieve adequate literacy and numeracy skills; while enabling adults who lack the basic skills, an opportunity to acquire them.
This day was officially established in 1967 and promotes the importance of literacy as it relates to human rights, and moving towards a literate and sustainable society.
People can actively engage through: