We all know that literacy is not just about gaining basic skills in reading, writing and numeracy. It includes recognizing the life experiences of the learners and helping them gain additional skills to improve their daily lives. Literacy has a multiplying effect, positively impacting not only individuals, but the families, communities and nations that they are a part of.
The U.N.’s Human Development Report 2014 emphasizes the crucial role that literacy plays in boosting people’s capacities as well as individuals’ employability and productivity. Global evidence suggests that literate mothers provide better hygiene and nutrition to their children; help their children to read and write at home; and help reduce school dropout rates. In general, literate people can acquire technical and vocational skills faster than nonliterate people and, as a result, literate households have higher incomes than nonliterate ones.
Cambodia has achieved remarkable growth in promoting access to education as well as increasing the literacy rate of its population. The primary net enrollment rate increased from 87 percent in 2000-2001 to 94.5 percent in 2014-2015. The adult literacy rate of citizens aged 15 and older rose from 67.3 to 79.7 percent from 1998 to 2013, according to Unesco’s current data.
However, Cambodia’s Human Development Index ranking is one of the lowest in the Asean region, due partly to low student retention rate at the primary education level, and low access to education at the lower and upper secondary levels. In comparison to the data produced by Asean Secretariat, Cambodia still stands very low in terms of the adult literacy rate, just above Laos at 73.4 percent in 2007, whereas the rest of the Asean countries already stand above 92 percent.
With this in mind, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, in cooperation with Unesco and other partners, has agreed to work toward increasing the adult literacy rate to 84.4 percent by the end of 2015 through the National Literacy Campaign with a plan to make 92,125 illiterate adults become literate by the end of this year.
On International Literacy Day today, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and Unesco celebrate the successful ongoing implementation of the National Literacy Campaign so far, and call for additional support from all, especially youths with a basic level of education including high-school students who can volunteer and assist with literacy classes in their communities.
While recognizing the importance of literacy, we all also know that engaging adult learners in literacy classes is challenging. There are many issues such as economic opportunities, employment, domestic work and migration. As more and more employment opportunities become available in urban areas, more people will leave rural areas, which means rural areas will have fewer people studying to become literate. Hence, as part of the Royal Government’s efforts to reduce “at risk migration,” which is the theme of this year’s literacy day, we need to create opportunities for literacy learners who have migrated to work in factories.
This year, the Ministry of Education in cooperation with Unesco and other partners are piloting several literacy classes for illiterate garment workers, especially young women, in some districts of Kompong Speu and Kompong Chhnang provinces. Results from this implementation can be a lesson for the ministry to consider expanding its collaboration and seeking support from other partners to promote wider participation of illiterate garment workers in the program. As advised by Prime Minister Hun Sen during the launch, this will be an excellent opportunity for close collaboration between relevant ministries with the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia, along with local and international development partners and civil society organizations.
The Ministry of Education and Unesco continue to work to promote lifelong learning, particularly through literacy and skills development for youth and young adults on the basis of equity and quality in education to enhance the human capital of Cambodia so that the country reaches its 2016 to 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Goal 4 focuses on key issues of equity and quality in education within a lifelong learning perspective.
We have observed over the past years that many students have not continued their education at the lower-secondary level, and these people will be an important human capital for Cambodia. There is an opportunity for alternative approaches to make these learners complete basic education, such as a recognized basic education equivalency program targeting out-of-school youth.
Unesco is pleased to work with the Ministry of Education and the partners to support this initiative. As noted by Unesco director-general Irina Bokova: “Literacy is fully recognized as one of the most powerful accelerators of sustainable development. The future starts with the alphabet.”
Hang Chuon Naron is the minister of education, youth and sport. Anne Lemaistre is Unesco’s representative in Cambodia.
