World Literacy Day
World Literacy Day
By Ruth Owino
“Literacy is the best remedy’’
Today 8th September is International literacy day. The day is set aside to raise people’s awareness of and concern for literacy issues in the world. This year’s International Literacy Day focuses on the link between literacy and peace. International Literacy Day is held on 8th September each year, to remind the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. In celebrating this day, UNESCO is awarding the international Confucius and King Sejong literacy prizes to projects in Burundi, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the United States of America.
The UNESCO’s E9 initiative is conducting an international conference on Women’s Literacy for Inclusive and Sustainable Development from 8 to 10 September, in India.
According to data from UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics, 793 million adults – most of them girls and women – are illiterate. A further 67 million children of primary school age are not in primary school and 72 million adolescents of lower secondary school age are also missing out their right to an education. South and West Asia account for more than half (51,8%) the world’s adult illiterate population, ahead of sub-Saharan Africa (21,4%), East Asia and the Pacific (12,8%), the Arab States (7,6%), Latin America and the Caribbean (4,6%), North America, Europe and Central Asia (2%).
For more information visit the UNESCO Website Below http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/education-building-blocks/literacy/advocacy/international-literacy-day/
