USAID celebrates the 14th anniversary of International Mother Language Day on February 21, 2013. Read more >>
Tag archives for Literacy
FrontLines Feature: How to Get All Children Reading
Since literacy has been shown to lead to better health, higher incomes and more vibrant democracies, USAID and partners are seeking new solutions to an age-old problem. Read more >>
Sparking the Love of Reading in Central Asia
When my daughter was younger, each night as I put her to bed, I read her a story. Some of our favorites included Make Way for Ducklings, Ping, and Ferdinand the Bull. Now that she is older and reading on her own, her appetite for books has become voracious. Evenings find our family’s noses buried in books strewn [...]
Ask the Expert: Literacy in Latin America
We interviewed Karen Towers from our Latin America and Caribbean Bureau to discuss the state of education in the region. 1) It seems that Latin America and the Caribbean is doing better in education – is that true? Yes and no. While it is true that access has increased, education quality is still a serious [...]
Infographic: The Impact of Literacy
Ever think about the impact literacy can have on the developing world? Check out this great infographic that spells out the impact of literacy on future generations. Read about the effect of education on health, economic growth, and stability. Don’t miss International Literacy Day which we will livestream on Friday, September 7th at 9:15 am EST.
Video of the Week: Empowering Maasai Women in Tanzania
USAID is helping Maasai women in Tanzania gain literacy and numeracy skills so that they can obtain land rights, start businesses, and become involved in local government. By 2011, more than 2,000 women had completed the program. Their new communication skills allow them to conduct business activities more easily and empower them to assert their rights. For the first [...]
New Tool to Assess Literacy
A free electronic tool is now available to quickly and accurately measure the reading progress of young children in the developing world. An adaptation of USAID’s paper-based Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA), the new tool called eEGRA runs in Microsoft’s Excel spreadsheet software, available free on most computers. The new tool was demonstrated for international [...]
Launch of Pakistan’s National Reading Program
This week in Pakistan, I joined Ambassador Cameron Munter, Senior Minister Pir Mazhar-Ul-Haq of the Government of Sindh Education and Literacy Department and local leaders in launching a National Reading Program. The program will help improve reading and math skills for nearly seven million children, mobilize communities to strengthen school management and support the development of three [...]
International Education Week: Partnering to Improve World Literacy
Arne Duncan is the U.S. Secretary of Education Today, the global community faces an economic crisis that has many people around the world feeling tenuous about the future. World leaders are grappling with how to handle rising debt and shrinking funds. Yet despite this uncertainty, one thing is certain: education is still the light shining [...]
International Education Week: Early Education Sets Young Nicaraguans on the Path the Academic Success
Identifying problems in early-grade reading is crucial for development in parts of the world where the stakes are high for kids that get behind the learning curve at a young age. Nicaragua is one country that has identified early-reading as a major area for improvement and made widespread efforts to address it. The ministry of [...]
