It is often said that Illiteracy is a disease. Perhaps, this formed the basis for setting aside 8th of September every year as the International Literacy Day. This day is a day set aside by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to raise global awareness and concern for literacy problems within communities.
We at ORBUS believe that Literacy is a tool for personal empowerment and a means for social and human development, because the opportunity for the development of any person or society is influenced by the literacy level of the people. Literacy is the heart of basic education for all and is essential for eradicating poverty, and ensuring sustainable development.
According to research carried out in 2008 by UNESCO, about 800 million adults – 64 per cent of whom are women – still lack basic reading and writing skills. ORBUS Global Solutions made use of this great day to create an educational awareness tagged; LEAD (Leadership, Education, Aspiration Development). The programme was held at Obadelani Gbogboade Memorial College to join the rest of the world to mark the 2015 edition of the International Literacy Day whose theme was: Literacy and Sustainable Development.
Educational materials such as, textbooks, novels and notebooks were donated to over 200 students in order to help encourage reading and writing culture. On this day, there was also an interactive session with the students in which prizes were given to some of the students at the school. With regards to the effect of the aforementioned programme; the school authorities decided to include reading hours to their curriculum activities.
