Celebrating 60 Years of Literacy Efforts

On 8 September, UNESCO celebrated the sixtieth International Literacy Day in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. This day started in 1966 after a conference of education ministers in Tehran. The aim was to end illiteracy in just one generation. Sixty years later, that goal is still not fully met, and the meaning of literacy has grown a lot.

For much of the 1900s, literacy meant being able to read and write simple statements about daily life. This definition was useful to track progress, but it only covered the basics. Now, literacy includes reading, writing, basic math, digital skills, and the ability to find, evaluate, and use information.

This shift shows what modern life demands. Someone might read a sentence, but if they cannot understand a data table, fill out a digital form, assess information online, or spot a scam message, they still face challenges. Literacy is now key for taking part in economic, social, and civic life.

The global challenge is still huge. UNESCO says at least 739 million young people and adults lack basic literacy skills, with women making up nearly two-thirds of this group. But there is some good news. Global adult literacy has gone up from about 65 percent in the mid-1970s to around 88 percent now. Youth literacy has also improved, rising from roughly 75 percent to 93 percent.

Still, just getting kids into school does not guarantee they learn. About 40 percent of children globally do not reach minimum reading levels. The biggest struggles are in areas hit by poverty, conflict, insecurity, and lack of funding for education.

In Nigeria, the situation is tough. The country has one of the largest groups of out-of-school children in the world, with estimates over 18 million. National literacy rates hide serious regional and gender gaps. While parts of southern Nigeria have higher literacy rates, some northern areas are much lower. Girls face challenges like early marriage, household duties, poverty, and unsafe travels to school. Boys are often taken out of school for farming, transport, and other informal work.

The Federal Government has made education a priority in its Renewed Hope Agenda. The Federal Ministry of Education, led by Dr Tunji Alausa, has rolled out reforms through the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative. This includes improving teacher quality, promoting vocational education, enhancing science and technology, boosting digital skills, and reducing the number of out-of-school children.

The new focus on vocational education is important as the definition of literacy changes. In a world driven by technology, knowing how to use equipment, learn a trade, understand tech information, and use digital tools is now part of being a responsible citizen.

The government is also focusing on using data to plan education better. This includes a national digital education management system and better learning assessments. The idea is simple: educational policies need reliable data to find out who is learning, where the gaps are, and what works.

Financing is still a big issue. At the National Advancement Forum in September, the Education Minister said government funding alone can't support Nigeria's universities. He called for more endowments, research grants, donations, and partnerships with businesses. The broader lesson is that educational reforms need stable funding and capable institutions to keep progress going after specific programs end.

Kaduna State is a good example of how these policies can work on a smaller scale. For three years, the state has set aside about a quarter of its budget for education: 25 percent in 2024, 26.14 percent in 2025, and 25 percent of its ₦985.9 billion 2026 budget, which is around ₦246.5 billion. This funding supports free basic education, lower tuition in state universities, scholarships, classroom construction, teaching materials, and teacher training.

The state has also expanded vocational training. In August, the Kaduna State Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development graduated its first group of 4,050 trainees, giving them National Skills Qualifications and start-up support. The Federal Ministry of Education has used Kaduna's vocational training manuals as a model for the national curriculum.

Data collection has been another focus. A household survey in Kaduna gave a clearer picture of out-of-school children, replacing earlier conflicting estimates. This data is not just numbers; it helps direct resources and measure progress.

This method supports the Reaching Out-of-School Children Project, or ROOSC, which is a $62.8 million project funded by several organizations. Its goal is to enroll 100,000 out-of-school children in learning across Kaduna's 23 local government areas.

The project started with a survey of 360,319 homes. It found 187,719 out-of-school children aged six to 17, including 2,305 with disabilities. The survey also changed some views about who is missing out on education. Boys make up almost 57 percent of the out-of-school group, often because they enter agriculture and informal jobs early. Girls face different issues, like early marriage, household duties, and safety concerns.

To address this, the project offers different paths into education. The Accelerated Basic Education Programme gives intensive foundational literacy, numeracy, and life skills to older children who have never been to school. Catch-Up Clubs provide extra help and prepare learners for formal education. Integrated Qur’anic and Tsangaya Education adds literacy and numeracy to existing Islamic education. Radio-based lessons offer an alternative where security issues make regular classrooms unsafe.

The project also tackles practical issues that can keep children from staying in school. More than 44,000 children have received learning materials, and girls got menstrual hygiene support. Thousands have had health checks, and over 4,000 assistive devices like wheelchairs and glasses have been provided to children with disabilities. More than 4,000 teachers have also been trained.

Child protection is another key part of the program. They have set up trained caseworkers, referral systems, and management systems for children facing neglect, exploitation, or abuse. The aim is to make sure educational access comes with the necessary protection.

Infrastructure improvements are happening alongside these efforts. The project is building 102 new schools and fixing up 170 others, totaling 272 facilities. They are designed to be accessible, and Tsangaya and Qur’anic learning centers are included as legitimate education spaces. These centers receive trained teachers and materials, allowing the program to work with institutions already trusted in their communities.

ROOSC also puts money into systems that need to last after donor funding finishes. This includes improving education planning, school management committees, local education structures, and data systems. This is crucial because the long-term success of any program depends on whether it strengthens the public education system, rather than creating a separate one.

The stakes are higher now because the children entering these learning centers will grow up in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. Traditional literacy is still important. People need to read labels, health advice, government notices, and other information for daily decisions. But they also need to evaluate information, recognize manipulation, tell fact from falsehood, and use digital and AI tools wisely.

This is the new frontier of literacy. It is not enough to just read words; people need to understand what they read, check its reliability, and make smart choices based on it.

Sixty years after International Literacy Day began, the global effort has entered a new phase. The goal is no longer just to increase the number of people who can read and write. It is now about ensuring that children and adults gain the skills needed to thrive in today’s society.

Nigeria's situation is especially urgent because of the large number of out-of-school children and unequal educational opportunities. Kaduna's experience shows that progress needs several parts working together: reliable data, ongoing funding, multiple learning paths, teacher training, inclusion, infrastructure, and stronger public institutions.

The message is clear. Literacy policy should start with the child who is out of school, find out why they are excluded, offer a suitable way to learn, and ensure that support continues once they are in the system. In a time of artificial intelligence, this foundation is more important than ever.

International Literacy Day started as a promise to bring the written word to those left out. Sixty years later, the job has grown. Now, we must help people not just read, but also understand, evaluate, and use the flood of information that increasingly influences their lives.

How well Nigeria responds will depend on whether this broader view reaches the children who are missing out on education. Kaduna’s work shows what this can look like.