By reading this article, you’re demonstrating your ability to read. When you figure out how much your groceries cost, you're using math. Words and numbers are all around: in newspapers, signs, advertisements, movie captions, contracts, and emails from colleagues. Yet literacy is under threat and urgent action and funding is needed.
Literacy is a part of foundational learning — a continuum of learning and proficiency in reading, writing, using numbers, and transferable skills such as socioemotional tools throughout life. People who can read and write are more likely to participate in civic life, volunteer, and contribute to their communities, contributing to economic prosperity, peace, and sustainable development.
Foundational skills not only help you understand the world better, they also allow children to learn more complicated concepts as they advance in their grades and curriculum. If they fail to attain these skills in early grades, they fall behind and if nothing is done, may be unable to catch up.
About the authors
Titus Syengo
Titus Syengo is TaRL Africa's executive director. He drives the mission and strategy of TaRL Africa and oversees all programs, ensuring the scaleup of the TaRL approach to millions of primary school children in Africa.
Stefaan Vande Walle
Stefaan Vande Walle is the global strategic education adviser for VVOB — education for development. He has more than 20 years of experience of working in education, development and research and advises on primary education programs, particularly those linked to foundational numeracy and primary math, and ICT in education.
