DILI, 08 september 2021 (TATOLI) – Minister of Education, Youth and Sports (MEJD), Armindo Maia called on parents to send their kids to school while urging the Timorese youth and senior citizens to keep learning.
“Education, as well as learning, is ageless. Therefore, I call on parents to make sure their kids are getting the best education possible. I also want to encourage those who didn’t learn how to read and write in the past to use the opportunity to learn something valuable for themselves. Education is important for all people,” Maia told reporters at the Ministry of Finance, in Dili, today.
This year’s theme for World Literacy Day is “Literacy for a human-centered recovery: Narrowing the digital divide”. The theme of ILD 2021 is set to create more awareness among the people regarding digital literacy.
Maia said nowadays, everything is digitalized: “If you want to have a smartphone device, then you need to know how to read and write to operate the phone.”
He said to reduce the number of illiterate in Timor-Leste, MEJD would cooperate with the relevant ministries, particularly the Ministry of State Administration (MAE), who is responsible for combating illiteracy in the country to develop literacy programs to combat illiteracy in the country.
Timor-Leste has, according to UNESCO, an adult literacy rate of 68.07%. While the male literacy rate is 71.87%, for females is 64.21%, showing a gap between the sexes.
Since 1967, International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations have taken place annually around the world to remind the public of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights, and to advance the literacy agenda towards a more literate and sustainable society. Despite progress made, literacy challenges persist with at least 773 million young people and adults lacking basic literacy skills today, said to the UNESCO website.
UNESCO declared September 8 as International Literacy Day to raise awareness and remind people of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
