Literacy is the first step that every society must take to guarantee a real advance in education. Teaching to read and write not only opens the doors of knowledge, but also constitutes the basis on which culture, citizenship and the ability to face the challenges of the 21st century are built. In the digital era, where information flows constantly and high speed, literacy is reaffirmed as a permanent challenge and an essential human right.
“It is important to promote reading and writing because it has multiple benefits for the human being and society in general. Help at the cognitive level, creates personal growth in terms of knowledge and awakens the imagination,” says Roly Lázaro, administrator and library manager of the Franz Tamayo University, Unifranz.
Every September 8, World Literacy Day is commemorated, established by UNESCO in 1966 with the aim of making visible the importance of reading and writing as tools for freedom, dignity and development. The event recalls that millions of people on the planet do not yet access this fundamental right and seek to raise awareness about the need for inclusive policies that promote functional and critical literacy, capable of responding to the challenges of contemporary society.
A literacy community achieves much more than citizens capable of reading words: it gains individuals capable of interpreting the world, exercising their rights and actively participating in democratic life.
In the educational field, reading and writing are the entrance door to learning in all disciplines. Lázaro emphasizes that reading and writing “knowledge sources in different branches are made. Specialized books and documentary literary works are considered essential sources of information and academic training.”
In the cultural field, literacy encourages creativity, empathy and critical capacity. Reading, says Lázaro, is also “a trip and exploration towards other realities. It allows to create a feeling of empathy of the writer with the reader.” In this way, literacy not only expands the individual horizon, but strengthens social ties, since sharing stories, reflections and knowledge enriches the collective fabric.
On a personal level, reading and writing improve memory, reduce stress, help prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s, expand vocabulary and strengthen oral and written communication. All these benefits have a direct impact on people’s quality of life and their ability to insert themselves into the work and academic world with greater tools. As Lázaro points out, “all the knowledge offered by reading leads to the development and application of them in the work or academic environment.”
In Bolivia, literacy advances are significant. In 2008, the country was declared “territory free of illiteracy”, thanks to mass literacy programs, and the most recent data of the population and housing census 2024 confirm a consolidation of these achievements. The literacy rate in people over 15 reached 95.9 %, while illiteracy was reduced to only 3.94 %. These indicators place the country above the regional average and reflect the sustained impact of programs such as “I can” and its post-alfabetization phases.
The census also shows improvements in rural areas, where historically the highest illiteracy rates were concentrated. There, the rate went from 77.7 % in 2005 to 89.1 % in 2023, thanks to community work, educational radio and the work of voluntary facilitators. However, gaps by gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic level still persist: while 97.8 %of men know how to read and write, in women the figure is 93.4 %, and among the indigenous population it drops to 92.1 %.
These data confirm that literacy in Bolivia is in a stage of consolidation, but faces new challenges. At present, it is no longer enough to learn letters and numbers: it is necessary to promote digital and critical literacy that allows citizens to develop in an environment saturated with constantly evolving information and technologies.
As Lázaro recalls, reading not only expands knowledge, but opens the mind to new possibilities and provides tools to face the challenges of a globalized society.
The challenge, therefore, does not end up reducing illiteracy rates. Literacy should be understood as a dynamic process that ensures inclusion, equity and citizen participation. In a digital world, literacy also means teaching to interpret data, discerning reliable information and understanding technological codes. In this sense, Bolivian education faces the challenge of ensuring that all its citizens have the necessary skills to develop in a 21st century marked by interconnection and innovation.
