A literate community is an enlightened society
Last Sunday, September 8, the world commemorated International Literacy Day in recognition of the critical role literacy plays in the empowerment of individuals and communities.
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The day raises awareness about global literacy challenges and promotes efforts to improve literacy rates worldwide.
Established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1966, the day was first celebrated in 1967 to highlight the importance of literacy as a fundamental human right, and therefore key to personal and societal development.
In setting aside September 8 every year to commemorate this day, UNESCO believes in the power of literacy as a tool for not only empowering individuals and building more inclusive societies but also the overall growth and development of a society, a country and the world as a whole.
Literacy is a foundation for people to acquire broader knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and behaviours to foster a culture of lasting peace based on respect for equality and non-discrimination, the rule of law, solidarity, justice, diversity, tolerance, and building harmonious relations with oneself, other people and the planet.
The day seeks to remind policymakers, practitioners and the public of the critical importance of literacy for creating more literate, just, peaceful and sustainable society.
This year, the day was observed on the theme, "Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace."
The theme highlights the importance of providing education in multiple languages to enhance communication and encourage mutual understanding among diverse cultures.
The Daily Graphic is of the view that being multilingual is a powerful tool globally in ensuring peaceful coexistence and harmony, as people seem to tolerate each other if they are using the same language.
Language is a unifier and a bridge that links different linguistic and cultural groups and promotes oneness.
This approach not only helps individuals access education in their native languages but also encourages global cooperation and respect for cultural diversity.
With the world increasingly becoming a global village, the focus of this year’s commemoration could not have been more appropriate, as it raises awareness about these benefits and inspires efforts towards more inclusive and effective literacy programmes worldwide.
The Daily Graphic wonders why the day is not trumpeted enough in Ghana, considering the importance the day carries.
We were expectant of events to raise awareness of the importance of education throughout the country by civil society organisations, institutions and stakeholders in the education space to push for improvement in the literacy rate in the country.
It is a fact that the higher the literacy of a country the better for the development and progress of that country, and as such the day could have been celebrated massively in schools and at the community level to drum home the importance of literacy, especially in the rural communities.
We propose to the managers of education in the country and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), in partnership with religious bodies and traditional leaders, to use various methods of education and dissemination such as drama and poetry every September 8 to sensitise society to the importance of education. These activities can be carried out in churches, mosques, community centres and even market squares.
The Daily Graphic calls on managers of education in the country as well as operators in the education space to use the day to reinforce and redouble efforts in promoting literacy and encouraging those out of school to re-enter the classroom.
The day should be used particularly to entice those who fall out of school, essentially girls who get pregnant in the course of their schooling, to return to the classroom after delivery.
In most communities, such girls are unable to go back to school because there are no proper structures to ensure that is done.
Heads of schools, together with their district directors of education where such girls were before getting pregnant, should be resourced to trace such girls to encourage them to do so.
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The International Literacy Day should be used as a point of inclusivity where all children, whether with disability or otherwise, are encouraged to go to school.
It should also be a day to be used to educate parents to understand the importance of education so that they too can push their children into school and encourage them to remain in school.
An educated community is an enlightened community, and an enlightened community is a progressive community. We must, therefore, do everything possible to ensure that school-age children remain in school.