Celebrating International Literacy Day in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond

Frederick Douglass, American social reformer, abolitionist, and author on one occasion mentioned: “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” This quote stands completely true as the power to read, or literacy, is much needed to escape any form of bondage or restrictions. History is witness to the fact what a pen or a book could do to overpower even those who considered themselves undefeatable.Literacy is essential to get free from the shackles of poverty, exploitation, taboos, superstitions, stereotypes, hegemonies, and anything that holds back the society from progressing.
On October 26, 1966, realizing the power of literacy and the role it plays in an individual’s life, UNESCO declared September 8 as the International Literacy Day. The day was celebrated for the first time in 1967. International Literacy Day aims to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies.

The need for increased literacy across the world arose after a study was conducted by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. It revealed 775 million lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 60.7 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out.
Another UNESCO report-Global Monitoring Report on Education for All-brought to light that South Asia has the lowest regional adult literacy rate (58.6%), followed by sub-Saharan Africa (59.7%). Countries with the lowest literacy rates in the world are Burkina Faso (12.8%), Niger (14.4%) and Mali (19%). This revelation clearly pointed out the connection between illiteracy and countries in severe poverty, and between illiteracy and prejudice against women.
As per these facts and statistics, it is evident that an increase in literacy is the need of the hour, and International Literacy Day is one step towards it. The International Literacy Day 2020 focuses on “Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond.” In particular, it emphasizes on the role of educators and changing pedagogies.

According to the UN official website: “The theme highlights literacy learning in a lifelong learning perspective, and therefore, mainly focuses on youth and adults. The recent Covid-19 crisis has been a stark reminder of the existing gap between policy discourse and reality: a gap that already existed in the pre-COVID-19 era and negatively affects the learning of youth and adults, who have no or low literacy skills, and therefore, tend to face multiple disadvantages. International Literacy Day 2020 provides an opportunity to reflect on and discuss how innovative and effective pedagogies and teaching methodologies can be used in youth and adult literacy programmes to face the pandemic and beyond.”
A global literate society is much needed for sustainable development of the planet. Such society will practice dialogue rather than violence, inclusion rather than segregation, and uniqueness rather than uniformity. In a world plagued by a global pandemic, violence, atrocities, violation of human rights, and several other concerns, literacy is the seed to be sown to reap humanity.