Making Large-Scale Literacy Campaigns and Programmes Work

Abstract

The past decade has seen a resurgence in the popularity of literacy campaigns as a means of mobilizing political will, resources and people. However, a recent analysis of adult literacy campaigns and programmes around the world from 2000 to 2014 found that most largescale campaigns failed to achieve their overly ambitious targets (Hanemann, 2015a). The recommendations for policymakers outlined in this policy brief draw important lessons from this analysis and take into account the complexity of the literacy task ahead. Addressing the literacy challenge from a lifelong learning perspective will help policymakers to achieve the literacy target of the new global education agenda, Education 2030. This entails linking literacy campaigns to social change and mobilization; ensuring adequate investment; integrating literacy into holistic learning systems; making systematic use of technology; and improving the quality of literacy data.