Why Literacy? Beyond its conventional concept as a set of reading, writing, and counting skills, literacy is now understood as a means of identific
Why Literacy?
Beyond its conventional concept as a set of reading, writing, and counting skills, literacy is now understood as a means of identification, understanding, interpretation, creation, and communication in an increasingly digital, text-mediated, information-rich, and fast-changing world.
Source: UNESCO
Its always said that the literacy rate of a country is directly proportional to its development, in all spheres. Literacy makes us believe in ourselves, have confidence, do something good, and be aware of our rights. Literacy has a huge effect on our lives. It impacts the way we think, behaves, our career, our future, and everything related to our lives. Somewhere it also outlines what our surroundings will be and shapes our social circle. Literacy is not always about reading and writing but also comprises of how you adapt and apply your learnings in your daily lives. Literacy globally is more diverse. Here, digital literacy refers to the ability to understand and interpret information and media literacy is the way to analyze, evaluate, and create media.
Some Facts and figure
Facts state that Russia has the highest literacy rate with 53% of the population having tertiary education and 95% with secondary education. Whereas, Afganistan is the country with the least literacy rate of 29.1%. More than 775 million people globally, are found to be illiterate. Globally, the literacy rate is above 86.3%, with a literate rate of all males being 90% and the literate rate of females subjects to 82.7%.
International Literacy Day
To recognize the importance of literacy and the role it plays for all the sections of the society, community, and the lives of individuals, International Literacy Day is marked on 8th September annually. In the 14th Session of UNESCO’s General Conference, 8 September was declared as Internationational Literacy Day and the celebration began from the year 1967. Every year this day is remarked with different themes to outspread all the important aspects of literacy. Some of them are given below:
Recent themes-
2006- Literacy Sustains Development
2013- Literacies for the 21st Century
2016- Reading the past, writing the Future
2017- Literacy in a digital World
2019- Literacy and multilingualism
Literacy and Economy
Literacy helps people to open up doors for them. It helps them to pull themselves out from the verge of poverty. Unemployment is eradicated due to the skills that are imparted in them which gives them opportunities for better employment. Acknowledging the present scenario, it can be witnessed that it is the need of the hour. Now that people upgrade themselves and grab knowledge to compete and cope with this technological world. Poverty rises as well as the people of a country suffer due to illiteracy. As they are unable to even do the basic necessities of life like filling up a basic form, calculating interests, and so on. Hence, they can be easily cheated upon. Thus, due to large corruption, the economy of the country suffers.
Literacy and Communities
Literacy also helps in the individual up-gradation of a human. From health instructions to human rights, a person should be aware of everything that effects himself as well as the surrounding. Literacy is required to avoid false practices and to escape from evil activities. From a collective perspective, a literate community is a dynamic community; a community that exchanges ideas, engages in dialogue is more innovative and productive.
Concluding, literacy is a human right essential for lifelong learning and social change. Literacy is also a driver for sustainable development. It enables greater participation in the labor market; improved child and family health and nutrition; reduces poverty and expands life opportunities.
