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USAID Programs Addressing World Literacy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2009
The challenge
Nearly 776 million people over the age of 15 worldwide, 64 percent of them women, lack minimum literacy skills. Almost all of these illiterate adults live in developing countries. On top of this, more than 300 million children and youth do not have access to basic educational services. In many developing countries, even children enrolled in school for six years are unable to read and understand a simple text. Children who do not learn to read in the first few grades are more likely to repeat and eventually drop out.
Economic dislocation, violent conflicts, and natural and health crises exacerbate the illiteracy problem by diminishing school quality and student access - HIV/AIDS in particular has had a profound impact in sub-Saharan Africa by leaving many children without caregivers and school systems without teachers.
The importance of literacy
Literacy is a foundation for personal and political freedom. The ability to read a newspaper, complete an election ballot, or note warnings on a prescription label bring independence and self-sufficiency. A lack of literacy is strongly correlated to poverty at both the national and household levels. Promoting literacy contributes to self-esteem and personal empowerment, increased civic engagement, and political awareness. Those who can read, work and learn more efficiently. What's more, literacy contributes to overall well-being - women who participate in literacy programs have better knowledge of health and family planning and are more likely to adopt preventive health measures or seek medical help for themselves and their children.
USAID's approach
USAID recognizes the importance of literacy for development and advocates that the principal route to achieving literacy is through quality basic education programs in primary schools that ensure gender parity and equity. Youth and adult literacy programs that are relevant to people's lives are also important for the great number of youth and adults who have not had access to quality and relevant educational opportunities. USAID supports projects that improve literacy in the developing world by:
- Improving the quality of teachers and learning materials: For example, in Latin America and the Caribbean, the USAID-supported Centers of Excellence for Teacher Training (CETT) program works to upgrade the reading instruction skills of classroom teachers in Grades 1 - 3. Since 2002, CETT has trained more than 25,000 teachers and helped more than 730,000 underprivileged students in 16 countries get a better education. In sub-Saharan Africa, USAID works through the Africa Education Initiative to improve the quantity and quality of learning materials, distributing more than 12 million textbooks and improved materials to date.
- Providing education for all: Offering better basic education opportunities, especially for girls and at-risk students, is key to raising literacy. The USAID-supported Ambassador's Girls Scholarship Program, part of the Africa Education Initiative, has provided 375,000 scholarships to school-aged children, primarily girls, since 2000. Scholarships cover costs such as tuition, uniforms, shoes, school supplies, lanterns for studying and a volunteer community mentoring program. Two other USAID programs, EQUATE and Safe Schools, give girls greater opportunities by reducing gender-based violence and instituting gender equitable policies and practices in schools.
- Reaching out-of-school youth and adults: For example, in rural Afghanistan, where more than 90 percent of women and 60 percent of men cannot read or write, USAID is supporting a literacy and occupational skills program outside the formal educational system focusing on women and men age 15 and over. More than 9,200 students have learned functional literacy, economic self-reliance, grassroots democracy and women's rights. USAID also supported the establishment of the National Literacy Center in Kabul that provides access to training, materials, and modern teaching techniques, and supports the development of practical literacy, numeracy, and life skills.
- Sharing knowledge: USAID supports knowledge sharing through projects such as the LiteracyHub - an online peer-reviewed, professional literacy community and resource center that brings best practices and information to policy makers and educators in the Middle East and North Africa with the aim of reducing illiteracy by 40 percent. In October 2008, Afghanistan's Ministry of Education agreed to assume leadership of this hub. The USAID-supported on-line Global Learning Portal (GLP) also shares literacy resources by linking educators, ministries, international development practitioners, and civil organizations in 160 countries.
- Measuring data for informed decision making: USAID supports applications of the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) in 16 languages in 15 countries. Results of these oral assessments, which measure individual student progress in reading in Grades 1-3, can be used by teachers and school administrators to assess how to boost student learning. District personnel can target support to schools with particular needs. Ministry officials can use the results to develop teacher training programs and curricula. Donor agencies can track progress in improving early reading outcomes.
- Promoting innovation: For example, in Mali, where only 23 percent of boys and 10 percent of girls can read a simple sentence in French by the end of grade four, USAID supports a Road to Reading Program that aims to improve the quality of elementary education, with an emphasis on literacy. The program is designed to reach over 40,000 classrooms and 500,000 students through Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) programs, including pilot programs for reaching nomadic populations and children with special needs. Future efforts will involve new technologies, such as smart phones and mini-computers, through public-private partnerships. Overall, IRI is reaching millions of students in more than 20 countries throughout the world.
The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.
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