Brandenburg launches offensive to combat reading and writing difficulties

Brandenburg launches offensive to combat reading and writing difficulties

On September 8th, World Literacy Day, the focus is on a topic that is existential for many people: teaching reading and writing skills. The funding strand of the Ministry of Education, which supports literacy and basic education initiatives within the framework of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), is of great importance in this context. Loud City report Around 12 percent of the working-age German-speaking population in Germany have difficulties reading and writing.

The situation is alarming: around 6.2 million adults in Germany cannot read and write or can only read at the lowest level, which also affects their ability to participate digitally. According to the European Commission's DESI index, 30 percent of the working population lack basic digital skills. Education Minister Steffen Freiberg underlines the importance of adults having access to reading, writing and digital skills to ensure their participation in society.

Promotion measures

Brandenburg stands out positively here and can boast the most basic education centers in Germany. Since 2015, not only literacy courses, but also basic education centers that address hard-to-reach target groups have been supported with ESF+ funds. These offer open learning opportunities and place those interested in further courses. In addition, the state government's goal of teaching adults reading and writing skills is intended to address another major shortcoming in education.

In combination with the courses to deepen digital skills, the approach is promising. The Association of Adult Education Centers is also active and, with the support of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), has further developed the vhs learning portal with over 1.6 million registered users. This is a central learning platform that is specifically intended for basic education areas. Online learning opportunities for literacy and basic education are available to interested adults at any time.

The Alpha Decade

The National Decade for Literacy and Basic Education, which runs from 2016 to 2026, aims to overcome current difficulties and challenges. Projects that support employees with needs at work are intended to help create a sense of success in their professional lives and thus increase motivation for further qualification measures. In total, the BMBF has made around 180 million euros available for the AlphaDecade to support these important measures, such as BMF informed.

But what does it actually look like? Low literacy will remain an issue even after the end of the Alpha Decade, not least because of the high level of immigration, which leads to a persistently high number of people with little knowledge of German. This is also reflected in the IQB education trend 2021, which shows a significant decline in basic skills among fourth graders. The federal government now has plans to continue to offer new educational opportunities to adults with low levels of literacy. The Bundestag recently debated the federal government's progress report on the Alpha Decade, and although progress is being made, there is still a lot to do.

The learning café offerings, which are designed as low-threshold facilities to reach people with low reading and writing skills, are an important step in the right direction. These are implemented in social advice centers and multi-generational houses and offer, for example, the opportunity to read letters from the authorities together.

Overall, it is clear: the challenge of literacy in Germany remains, but with the right measures and support there is hope for improvement. World Literacy Day reminds us that there is still a lot to do.