Illiteracy remains a massive problem in Africa

"Illiteracy remains a massive problem in Africa, but one that can only be successfully addressed with and through solutions to the continent's other development challenges."

—Peter Easton
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Literacy is very important - many would say a human right.  A good quality basic education equips pupils with literacy skills for life and further learning; literate parents are more likely to keep their children healthy and send their children to school; literate people are better able to access other education and employment opportunities; and, collectively, literate societies are better geared to meet development challenges

Life isn't easy in sub-Saharan Africa. An AIDS epidemic, crushing poverty, civil wars, a dearth of economic development and widespread illiteracy are just a few of the hurdles that confront many of the region's 650 million people each day.

In addition to the decline in literary reading, the newspaper and magazine industries have witnessed a significant decline in readership and circulation. However, declining newspaper readership has been linked to the increasing popularity of television and Internet news sources.

Some studies indicate that persons who read literature, newspapers, and magazines are more likely to become involved in civic affairs. Some are concerned that declining reading levels are an indication that the intellectual fitness of American society is decaying.

Literacy rates are improving globally, but in terms of raw numbers there are more illiterates than 20 years ago.  In sub-Saharan Africa youth literacy rates (ages 15-24) have increased by 6% over the past 20 years, casting light on adult literacy projections.  However, youth literacy rates in Sub-Saharan Africa (72%) are the lowest of any region, as is enrollment in secondary school (34%).  For adults in sub-Saharan Africa the rates have improved by 9%, but there is a disparity between literacy for women and men.  While 7 in 10 men can read, only half of women can do so. The biggest barrier to increasing literacy is the lack of books, especially in rural areas.

Reading proficiency is an important component of academic success.

While adult literacy rates have risen throughout Africa, particularly among women, so far they have done so too slowly and unevenly to ensure accomplishment of "Education For All" literacy goals by the year 2015, the target date set by the United Nations. According to ADEA statistics, some countries, such as Botswana, Mauritius and South Africa, have reached adult literacy rates over 75 percent. Others, such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, have yet to reach 20 percent. Overall, during the last decade women's literacy rates on the subcontinent have risen by 12 percentage points, men's by eight.

Literacy: The ability to read and write.

Literature: Writings such as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays, especially that of recognized artistic value. Also the term is used generally to refer to all written work pertaining to a certain subject or author.

Readership: A broad term referring to groups of people who are believed to read a certain type of written material.