Reflections on International Literacy Day 2020: Status and Challenges in Malawi
In 1966, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed 8th September as International Literacy Day (ILD) to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights. Since then, while ILDs have been held annually, UNESCO has periodically convened International global Conferences on Adult Education (CONFINTEA) where Adult Literacy and Education (ALE) has been debated and global strategies agreed. The last CONFINTEA (VI) was held in 2009 in Brazil, where delegates from 144 UNESCO member states participated, producing the Belém Framework for Action (BFA), which has guided ALE for the past twelve years. In relation to literacy, the Framework states that:
Literacy is an indispensable foundation that enables young people and adults to engage in learning opportunities at all stages of the learning continuum. The right to literacy is an inherent part of the right to education. It is a prerequisite for the development of personal, social, economic and political empowerment. Literacy is an essential means of building people’s capabilities to cope with the evolving challenges and complexities of life, culture, economy and society.
As a UNESCO member state, Malawi has embraced the BFA, recognizing the essential role of literacy in personal, community and national development.
As we reflect on the ILD theme for 2020 — Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond, with a focus on the role of educators and changing pedagogies, there have been positive developments for ALE, even during these challenging times. One significant development has been the approval by the Government of Malawi of the National Adult Literacy and Education Policy. The absence of this policy posed a significant challenge in areas such as coordination, governance, service provision among all stakeholders, governmental and non-governmental. The stated goal of the policy is to reduce illiteracy and enhance skills development and education amongst adults and youths for effective participation in socio economic development.
The Adult Literacy and Education Policy aims to enrol at least 1.5 million learners in literacy programmes over a period of five years, translating into an annual intake of around 300,000 participants. The current number of around 10,000 literacy centres and 8000 literacy instructors nationwide have the capacity to reach about 150,000 participants annually, which is only 50% of the annual target. Therefore, increased investment and diverse strategies will be required to reach the targets outlined in the policy.
While the approval of the ALE Policy is a very welcome development, the adult education sector still faces many challenges. Underfunding is one of the major challenges. Public investment in adult learning and education programmes remains very low, with an annual budget for ALE ranging from K50 million to K100 million over the period 2003/2004 to 2016/2017. CONFINTEA VI challenged national governments to allocate at least 6% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to education and at least 3% of their education budget to adult education. In Malawi, these targets have been missed with around 4% of GDP being allocated to education over the past two financial years and less than 1% of the education budget going to ALE, even while basic education receives over 50% of the education budget. This situation is compounded by the fact that very few donors and NGOs are financing and implementing ALE programmes.
The ALE sector also struggles to provide adequate post-literacy services, which can result in those who were previously declared literate relapsing back into illiteracy. Literacy acquisition must be meaningfully combined with diverse areas of skills and knowledge (e.g. health, nutrition, agriculture, etc.) if it is to be applied in everyday life. This means funding and providing a range of post-literacy and integrated literacy approaches that build on the foundational skills of reading, writing and numeracy.
The limited integration of people with disabilities (PWDs) in the ALE sector is another area that needs to be addressed and supported. Limited resources in the sector exacerbate the exclusion that PWDs already face in wider society.
An overly-narrow definition of adult learning and education, which often defines adult education as literacy and numeracy acquisition, is another key challenge faced by ALE in Malawi. While these skills are foundational and essential for the development of further skills, alone they do not respond to the needs of adult learners in today’s world. This is evident from the fact that while the government operates around 10,000 literacy centres in Malawi, dropout rates can be very high. The immediate needs of adults, such as engagement in livelihood activities and other vocational skills should be taken on board as part of a comprehensive, integrated and multi-sectoral adult learning approach. For this to take place, there needs to be a shift in understanding and mentality across all sectors so that the essential role and contribution of adult learning and education to all sectors of development is better understood and supported.
The perennial problem of low male participation in adult literacy programmes can also be addressed by the introduction of more diverse approaches that align literacy and numeracy with the acquisition and application of other skills and knowledge.
As this year’s ILD theme emphasizes, COVID-19 poses many challenges to the provision of education. One possible response being explored is the introduction of digital approaches and e-learning, which can be used to provide education while maintaining social distancing. However, this will require increased investment in equipment and infrastructure, as well as measures to address the prohibitive cost of data in order to open up the internet as a resource for all Malawians.
While social sectors, communities, families and individuals struggle to operate within the challenges of COVID-19, ALE must not be left behind. Now, more than ever, support and funding must be channeled to adult education initiatives so that this often over-looked sector of education can play its essential role in ensuring that Malawian youths and adults have the knowledge and skills they need to contribute to development at all levels — personal, community and national.
