World Literacy Day is commemorated on September 8 every year. The day is observed to remind the international community of the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies, as well as the necessity for increased efforts toward a more literate society, as per the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Like other countries around the globe, Bangladesh will observe the International Literacy Day-2022 today in a befitting manner.
This year’s theme of the day is ‘Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces: Exploring Opportunities and Possibilities’.
Marking the day, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has organized a discussion at the Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE) auditorium in city’s Mohakhali at 11 am today.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossen will attend the programme as the chief guest with Senior Secretary to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Md Aminul Islam Khan in the chair.
Special supplements will be published tomorrow highlighting the significance of the day.
Besides, programmes will be aired on Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and other private television channels while short messages will be sent to mobile phones on this day.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day wishing all programmes of the day a success.
The President, in his message, said in order to establish a prosperous Bangladesh by 2041, it is necessary to create educational opportunities for all.
In this case, ensuring vocational education, entrepreneurship development and employment-based training and providing literacy with information technology is very important, the head of the state added.
To offset the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the subject-wise teaching programmes of primary education have been conducted through ‘Sangsad Bangladesh Television’ and ‘Bangladesh Betar’, he said.
He urged the government as well as the local public representatives, non-governmental organizations, civil society and all concerned to work together aiming to establish and ensure quality education system in the country.
The Prime Minister, in her message, the greatest Bengali of all time, Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had included the right to honorary and compulsory education in the constitution for all students up to the certain level.
He took a revolutionary step in the field of education by nationalizing 36,165 schools despite limited financial resources in the war-torn country at that time, the premier added.
In light of the educational philosophy of Bangabandhu, the Awami League government has given the highest priority to the education sector and taken various steps for its overall development, she said.
Appreciable success has been achieved in the education sector as a result of the adoption and implementation of various timely programmes undertaken by the government in the last 13.5 years, she continued.
Education rate has increased from 46.66 percent in 2007 to 74.66 percent at present, she mentioned.
“Our government has distributed a total of 400 crore 54 lakh 67 thousand 911 copies of textbooks to students free of cost from academic year 2010 to 2022,” she said.
Besides, various types of scholarships and stipends are being provided among students, she said, adding that the number of public and private universities in the country has been increased to bring the benefits of higher education to the doorsteps of the people of the country.
To overcome the impact of coronavirus, the government has emphasized on technology-based modern and science-based education system to accelerate the development of education, Sheikh Hasina further said.
Considering the importance of science and technology based education, especially keeping in mind the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), the government has taken various steps to ensure the benefits of ICT and digital technologies in education management and educational programmes, she added.
The premier hoped that it will be possible to build a developed and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangladesh’ as dreamt by the father of the nation by 2041 by achieving cent percent literacy and developing skilled human resources.
She sought united efforts of all to ensure the quality of education and inclusive education system in this regard.
The 8th of September was proclaimed as International Literacy Day by the UNESCO in 1966 to remind the international community of the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and societies, and the need for intensified efforts towards more literate societies.
The issue of literacy is a key component of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
