Alliance For Rural Development (YARD-Liberia) highlights International Literacy Day 2023
PHOTO: Dennis Kromah, Project Director, YARD-Liberia
By Austin Wisseh,jaustinwisseh100@gmail.com
HARBEL, Liberia- In the wake of the celebration of International Literacy Day, Youth Alliance for Rural Development-YARD-Liberia says it remains dedicated to promoting education, human rights, advocacy, and literacy in Liberia.
To mark International Literacy Day on Friday, September 8, 2023, YARD-Liberia emphasized the urgent need for educators, and central authorities, to put more funding into primary education, with focus on girls’ education.
“On this significant day set aside by all UN country members, we raise awareness of literacy problems within our community and at the same, we emphasize the urgent need for educators, the Liberian government, and partners to allocate more funding toward primary education, with a special focus on girls’ education.”
The release furthered, “Education is a fundamental right of every child, regardless of their gender. However, we acknowledge that girls in Liberia face unique challenges that hinder their access to quality education. gender disparities in education perpetuate inequality and limit the potential of our nation. We must address these disparities and ensure that girls have equal education opportunities.”
YARD-LIBERIA, a local civil society organization calls on “national government to prioritize and uplift the status quo of girls’ education”, the news release says.
Less than 13% of Liberia’s national budget goes into the country’s education sector, 2023; with neighboring Sierra Leone at 22% for education from its national budget.
A UNESCO data www.unesco.org puts literate Liberians females between the ages 15 and 24 at 71.9% by 2019.
Globally, there are still 781 million illiterate adults out of the world’s estimated eight billion people.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization/UNESCO has been celebrating International Literacy Day (ILD) since 1967.
International Literacy Day, (September 8) is set aside to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights. The day is also meant to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society.
This year’s International Literacy Day was celebrated on the theme: ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies.’