This year’s theme for International Literacy Day is ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building a foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies’. The theme encourages people to reflect on the role literacy plays in building just, peaceful and sustainable societies. It also highlights the impact literate societies have on progress in different spheres.
According to a recent UNESCO report, although there has been significant progress in the field of literacy, 763 million people worldwide still do not have basic literacy skills. Most of these people are women and children who do not receive opportunities for education due to social and economic disparities. Education is a human right and countries across the world need to take measures to ensure that their citizens receive quality education.
According to the National Survey of India’s report, India’s literacy rate increased from 73% in 2011 to around 77.7% in 2022. The Indian government has undertaken various initiatives to ensure all Indians have access to education.
The National Education Policy 2020 launched by the Indian government aims at transforming education through a multidisciplinary approach and calls for substantial investment in the education system. It focuses on providing quality training to teachers, creating equal learning opportunities for all social classes and the inclusion of tech-based learning.
The ULLAS application–Understanding Life-long Learning for All in Society–recently launched by the government aims at imparting basic education, important life skills and financial knowledge to Indian citizens aged 15 and above. It targets more than 12 lakh drop-out students in the country and people with no previous access to education.
What do you think of India’s initiatives in the education sector?
