INTERNATIONAL Literacy Day was observed on September 8 in Guyana, and for that matter, throughout the world. It is a day set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to focus attention on the importance of literacy, both for individual and for national development. It is also a reminder of the importance of literacy in terms of a dignified life and in advancing the agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society.

The theme for Literacy Day in 2023 is: “Promoting Literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies.”
This theme is of particular relevance in today’s world in which there are so many conflicts and wars, including the war in Ukraine which is having a devastating and disruptive effect on the lives of millions of people including children. Peace remains fragile and the best way of promoting a climate of peace is through education.

The importance of literacy cannot be overemphasised. Literacy empowers and liberates people. It improves lives by expanding capabilities, which in turn reduces poverty and increases participation in the labour market. It also has positive effects on health and sustainable development. As the saying goes, one cannot be educated and poor at the same time.

Yet, there are millions of people in the world who cannot read nor write. And even though there have been some improvements in global literacy rates, roughly 14 per cent of the population are unable to read or write. The situation is particularly pronounced in the poorer countries of the world where literacy levels are in some cases below 30 per cent!

Guyana is fortunate to have a relatively high literacy rate, thanks to the high emphasis placed by the PPP/C administration on the development of reading skills and on education as a whole. President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has always been a strong advocate of reading and has consistently urged parents and guardians to encourage reading to their children. His ‘Drop Everything and Read’ campaign has gained the admiration of the Guyanese people. His call for parents to ‘stop what you are doing and read something’ and to work together to improve literacy in Guyana is well-received and certainly gaining momentum. Indeed, images of President Ali personally reading to his son Zayd and the deep interest shown in his child’s educational and emotional growth is worthy of emulation and has certainly gained the attention and admiration of all.

The Ministry of Education is currently rolling out a number of activities in support of its literacy programme. And, as noted by Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, even though there has been significant improvements in overall literacy rates, reading among children still pose significant challenges in terms of learning outcomes and performance at examinations. Several initiatives are being taken by the Education ministry to address this difficulty, including customised literacy packages for those with reading challenges.

As the country advances along the path of modernisation and sustainable development, the need for a literate citizenry becomes not only a necessity but a national imperative. Developmental experts and practitioners have long established a strong correlation between education and development. In this regard, full credit must be given to President Ali and the PPP/C administration for placing education at the centre of its developmental objectives. The education system in Guyana, the President said, will ensure that no one is left behind especially against the backdrop of the ‘One Guyana’ concept and the ever-changing landscape of the country. The PPP/C administration, according to President Ali, will continue to invest heavily in the education sector. During a roundtable discussion at the United Nations, the President pledged to further increase education spending to 20% of budgetary allocation. With education consuming a whooping $94.4B of the budgetary allocation this year, Guyana ranks among countries with the highest per capita spending on education.

We have come a long way since the days of substandard education delivery and embarrassingly high illiteracy rates. A functional literacy study done in 1989 by Professor Jennings, in collaboration with the University of Guyana, found that roughly 89% of out-of-school youths were ‘functionally illiterate’. Put differently, a mere11% of the out of surveyed population were considered to be functionally literate.