2019 International Literacy Day: ‘Literacy and Multilingualism’

International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on 8 September, is an opportunity for Governments, civil society and stakeholders to highlight improvements in world literacy rates, and reflect on the world’s remaining literacy challenges.

The issue of literacy is a key component of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This year 2019 Theme is Literacy and Multilingualism

According UNESCO in 2015 , 59.6 % Of Nigerians are literate compared to what it was in 2008, 51.1 %.
In line with this a non governmental organisation, Jaking, used the opportunity of the world literacy day to celebrate children who are going back to school after more than one month holiday.

With the theme of this year, the children demonstrated this by reading the news in different languages.

The founder of the NGO says Nigeria must learn to appreciate her own language both at home and in school, the guest speaker of the event also agreed that Nigerians should not be ashamed of their language.

As the world celebrate literacy day, Commissioner for education in Lagos, said the the state will make sure that she strengthens the educational policy of the state.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by world leaders in September 2015, promotes, as part of its agenda, universal access to quality education and learning opportunities throughout people’s lives.

Sustainable Development Goal 4 has as one of its targets ensuring all young people achieve literacy and numeracy and that adults who lack these skills are given the opportunity to acquire them.