José was a janitor at an educational institution, the father of four children, one of whom had already finished high school and wanted to go to college, but he refused, considering it a waste of time and that he should devote himself to work, doing anything. Paradoxically, although he worked in an educational institution, José could neither read nor write. When the rector found out, he immediately ordered the personnel department to inform him if there were any other cases. There were. So the order was “Get us involved in the adult literacy plan; “Everyone who has not completed elementary school must register and will attend classes during working hours.” José refused, he thought it was not necessary; However, faced with the risk of losing his job, he accepted. When he received his certificate, he was very proud and encouraged his son to go to university. Today, José’s four children are professionals, and he already has a grandson ready for higher education. It is an example of how full literacy changes lives and, certainly, countries.

Book fair against the new illiteracy

In our country, according to INEC data, 6% of Ecuadorians over the age of fifteen, or 764,610, cannot read or write. The problem is more serious in rural areas, where the illiteracy rate can reach 11.1%, while in urban centers it is 3.6%.

But the problem is bigger because it is not enough to recognize the words, and if you don’t know their meaning, you can’t understand the meaning of the text either, that is, you can’t know the information it contains. In other words, they are functionally illiterate and therefore many young graduates arrive at university without the reading skills necessary for higher education.

(…) a comprehensive and well-understood literacy campaign is essential for democratic coexistence…

Reading is a fundamental tool because it encourages critical thinking, affects the development of cognitive abilities, expands vocabulary, which enriches expression, and facilitates understanding and reflection on what is read or heard.

The foregoing aims to lead to the conclusion that a complete and well-understood literacy campaign is necessary for democratic coexistence and participation, since it requires critical citizens, able to analyze before making their own decisions, without being swayed by the influence of advertising or the exalted speeches of those who strive to take over authorities.

Literacy indicators, secondary and primary school attendance are showing improvement in Guayaquil, according to the council

In a month we will have a new Government; It will be transitional and will probably have to focus on what is considered the most urgent in order to restore peace to the country that allows citizens to perform all tasks in an environment of physical and legal security. But there are problems that, although we don’t notice them, have a lot to do with political reality and the ups and downs that threaten what we call democracy. One of them is the subject of this article.

We cannot pretend that this problem will be faced in the short term of the government to come, because in reality there are other urgent situations and solving them now could be a necessary framework for those who want to be elected to power from 2025 to see it as a priority. . (OR)