Did you know that 1 in 8 adults are illiterate? | International Literacy Day
Posted: 8 September 2018 at 10:30 am | Author: Lauren Daws
Do you know just how many people can’t read and write?
According to shocking figures from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), around 774 million people worldwide are illiterate. To many of us, these statistics may be surprising. But with more than one in eight adults across the globe unable to read and write, we need to address it!
Do we take literacy for granted?
What would your life be like if you couldn’t read or write? Would you have been able to get your current job? Or even any job? Living in a country where school attendance is mandatory and adult illiteracy is rare, we’ve probably never considered what our lives would be like if we couldn’t read or write.
How can learning to read and write change someone’s life?
For someone who is illiterate and living in poverty, it is extremely difficult to get a job that pays well enough to escape these living conditions. However, learning to read and write can open up job opportunities and help to get people away from poverty.
Without literacy many people are stuck in dead end jobs which barely support them financially. These jobs offer no area for progression and only add to the levels of poverty in any given country. But, learning to read and write and thriving on the opportunities it can provide can help individuals get better jobs and earn enough money to improve their lives.
How you can do your bit this International Literacy Day
Some of the ways you can help to improve literacy skills are:
- Volunteer at local libraries
- Introduce an after school reading club
- Volunteer at summer schools
- Take part in a volunteer programme to teach literacy in a disadvantaged community
Charities aiming to tackle illiteracy
Some of the charities who are working towards eliminating illiteracy are:
- Help2read who have helped over 12700 children in South Africa’s disadvantaged communities learn to read through their programmes.
- Save the Children who are working with GVI Mexico and are running a day care centre which provides a safe space for children to learn and play.
- Read Global who work in rural areas in Asia to help build libraries and reading centres teaching thousands of people to read every year.
Don’t think your literacy skills are quite up to scratch?
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Having a solid foundation in English and Maths can set you on your way to better paid jobs or being able to enrol onto higher level training programmes!
So, if you’re interested in refreshing your Maths or English skills, take a look at the courses we have to offer!