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Jagpreet
17 August, 2024
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Over time, there has been great progress in literacy rates. The latest data from UNESCO shows that over 86% of the world can read and write, up from 68% in 1979. This is great news, isn’t it? However, we still have a long way to go as the challenge remains. Almost 765 million adults, mostly women, are still illiterate. What could be more concerning than this? The COVID-19 pandemic made things much harder, with 617 million children falling behind in reading.Literacy is a cornerstone of human development. The ability to read and write can open doors to education, employment, and better health. Yet, millions of people in developing countries still struggle with illiteracy.
In this blog, we will explore the impact and outcomes of literacy programmes.
Literacy programmes have had a profound impact on many communities, transforming lives and fostering development. To understand the effectiveness of these programmes, let’s explore some real-life examples from different parts of the world:
In India, there was a new initiative launched in March 2023. The initiative’s name was the New India Literacy Programme. It was launched to improve the literacy rates by targeting 5 crore non-literates aged 15 and above.
If we talk about the budget, it is significant, totalling INR ₹1,037.90 crore. The programme is set to run from 2022-2027, with central and state governments sharing the financial responsibility. This initiative includes foundational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, vocational training, basic education, and continuing education. People who want to benefit from this initiative can either register with a mobile app or be identified by government authorities through a door-to-door survey. This programme saw all the current needs of people and adopted technology. The programme delivers the resources through the DIKSHA platform, TV, radio, and other media. This makes literacy accessible to a broader audience.This programme is expected to enhance literacy rates and empower millions across India.
The BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) education programme is another remarkable example. It was established in the year of 1985. BRAC has set up many schools and learning centres in Bangladesh. The programme is not just focused on literacy but also on providing vocational training and health education.
The results are impressive: literacy rates in the areas covered by BRAC have increased significantly, and many participants have gone on to start their own businesses, thereby contributing to the local economic development.
In Kenya, the ‘Read to Succeed’ campaign initiated by Cadbury, has made strides in improving literacy rates among children. This programme was created to be more creative, engaging, and culture-centric. Most of the kids were used to consume euro-centric education, but Cadbury wanted them to consume their own cultural education.
This programme has been able to engage young learners effectively. In regions where the campaign is active, we can see a notable improvement in reading levels and school attendance.
This initiative underscores how engaging and contextually relevant literacy programmes can make a difference in children’s educational outcomes.
The positive outcomes of literacy programmes in developing countries extend beyond individual achievements and encompass broader societal benefits. Here’s how effective literacy programmes contribute to development:
Literacy is closely linked to economic development. Individuals with basic literacy skills are more likely to secure better employment opportunities, start businesses, and contribute to economic growth. For instance, in areas where literacy programmes have been implemented, there has been an increase in small-scale entrepreneurship, leading to improved local economies.
Many literacy programmes specifically target women, who are often disproportionately affected by illiteracy. By equipping women with reading and writing skills, these programmes empower them to take on leadership roles, make informed decisions, and participate more actively in their communities.
Empowered women contribute to the overall well-being of their families and communities, driving social change.
Literacy programmes often include health education as part of their curriculum. Educated individuals are better equipped to understand and adopt healthy practices, access healthcare services, and make informed decisions about their well-being. This, in turn, leads to improved health outcomes and reduced mortality rates.
Despite the successes, literacy programmes in developing countries face several challenges:
Most of the implemented literacy programmes face challenges of resource constrains, human resources, teaching aids, and physical facilities for delivery of the programmes. Support, funding, and coordination of programmes are utterly essential to produce the desired outcome in society.
Wherever implemented, the cultural and linguistic barriers often come into conflict with the literacy programmes. The programmes have to be made more contextually relevant and translated into the local languages in order to be successful. Thus, there is a need to engage the existing local communities in order to resolve their current conditions and demands.
This situation is even worse for vulnerable students, hailing from disadvantaged backgrounds and schools that have been greatly affected by such events as the COVID-19 pandemic. Dealing with these disruptions and building sustainable literacy programme to cope with such situations is important for the next step.
These are the evidenced advantages of literacy programme outcomes in the developing nations to show its effectiveness on the people. Such programmes raise the literacy level, thereby boosting the economic status, enhancing women with the opportunities to make their own decisions, raising the rate of health, and better civic participation.
Nonetheless, several difficulties are still observed, and it is crucial to emphasise that constant efforts and search for efficient solutions are in quest. Any commitment to practise in good literacy programmes is certainly a way of fulfilling education goals as well as a fundamental factor in initiating a better quality of life and development around the globe.
Adult education is a crucial service because it may help to enable people by giving them the tools which will help them to chart a better future for themselves. It also enhances health since it aids in comprehending and practising the guidelines for health.
At present, education literacy skills are the key to success in life that people should consider. Education makes us literate, and this enables us to attain certain standards in different facets of life. These skills assist in cutting down poverty since they assist in the creation of jobs and enhancement of earnings.
Education is important because it assists individuals in using items such as computers, the Television and enhance communication. These programmes improve the facets of reading and writing for individuals to enable them to change their lives and be useful to society.
