Abstract
Literacy is a fundamental aspect of development and a step towards freedom and liberation from socio-economic constraints, because it enables all citizens to realise their basic right to learning. However, the global efforts which – according to a 2017 estimate of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – resulted in an increase in literacy from 55.7% in 1950 to 86.2% in 2015 at the world level (an average of 5% for each decade) did not significantly affect the actual number of people with low (or no) literacy skills. Due to rapid population growth, the number of people unable to read or write was higher in 2015 (745 million) than it was in 1950 (700 million), with some world regions being more affected than others. After reflecting on global historical trends in adult literacy education, this article focuses on the African continent, and on Tanzania in particular. The authors offer a few recommendations for developing countries to progress towards ensuring that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy by 2030.
Résumé
Bilan historique des efforts internationaux en faveur de l’alphabétisation des adultes, notamment en Tanzanie – L’alphabétisation est un aspect fondamental du développement et un pas vers la liberté et l’affranchissement des contraintes socio-économiques, car elle permet à tous les citoyens d’exercer leur droit élémentaire à l’apprentissage. Toutefois, selon une estimation de 2017 de l’Organisation des Nations unies pour l’éducation, la science et la culture (UNESCO), les efforts internationaux se sont certes traduits à l’échelle mondiale par une augmentation de l’alphabétisation, qui est passée de 55,7 % en 1950 à 86,2 % en 2015 (soit une moyenne de 5 % par décennie), sans toutefois modifier notablement le nombre réel des personnes illettrées (voire analphabètes). Du fait de la croissance rapide de la population, le nombre de personnes incapables de lire ou d’écrire en 2015 (745 millions) était supérieur à celui des personnes recensées en 1950 (700 millions) – certaines régions étant plus touchées que d’autres. Le présent article se penche d’abord sur les tendances historiques mondiales de l’alphabétisation avant de se concentrer sur le continent africain, en particulier sur la Tanzanie. Ses auteurs proposent quelques recommandations pour que les pays en développement évoluent afin de pouvoir veiller à ce que tous les jeunes et une part considérable d’adultes, hommes et femmes, sachent lire, écrire et compter d’ici à 2030.
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Notes
While the next national census was duly carried out in 2022, literacy data emerging from this have not yet been fully processed and evaluated.
The country meanwhile has 31 administrative regions, and according to the dedicated website for the 2022 census, Tanzania’s population grew to 61,741,120 last year (https://sensa.nbs.go.tz/ [accessed 7 July 2023])
We begin with 1961 because it was the year in which Tanganyika became independent from the British. In 1964, it united with Zanzibar, forming the United Republic of Tanzania.
Ten-house cell units are the lowest local-government units at a village level below the village government, and composed of only ten households. They are led by local ambassadors (balozi in Swahili), who are elected by the residents of the ten households.
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Fute, A., Wan, Xl. & Oubibi, M. A historical review of global efforts on adult literacy education, with particular reference to Tanzania. Int Rev Educ 69, 327–350 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-023-10019-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-023-10019-9