Bergasku.com – Literacy is a person’s ability to read, write, count and understand information presented in writing or verbally.
In general, literacy includes basic reading and writing skills, as well as the ability to understand and use information effectively in everyday life.
Literacy is important in many aspects of modern life, such as education, career, health, finances, and participation in social and political life.
Good reading and writing skills can also help a person develop critical thinking skills, communicate clearly and effectively, and be better problem solvers.
Due to the importance of literacy, many countries and international organizations have paid attention and are trying to increase literacy rates around the world through educational programs and policies that support lifelong learning. the life.
Here are some of the countries with the best literacy rates in the world according to data from UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 2021:
- Andorra: Literacy rate around 100%
- Finland: literacy rate around 100%
- South Korea: literacy rate around 97.3%
- Japan: Literacy rate around 99%
- Estonia: literacy rate of around 99.8%
- Canada: literacy rate of approximately 99%
- Australia: Literacy rate around 99%
- Netherlands: Literacy rate around 99%
- Luxembourg: Literacy rate around 98%
- Norway: literacy rate around 100%
Meanwhile, according to the PISA 2018 results, the country with the highest score in the reading category is China (including Hong Kong and Macao), with an average score of 555. The other countries with the highest scores high are Singapore, Macao, Canada, Finland, Ireland, South Korea, Japan, Hungary and Estonia.
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an international study conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to assess the abilities of students from various countries in the fields of mathematics, science and reading.
Although this study does not focus on adult literacy levels, PISA reading scores can provide insight into the level of school literacy in a country.
It should be remembered that the literacy level of a country does not only depend on the availability of educational institutions, but also on other factors such as the literacy culture of the society, economy and politics. .
Literacy has many important benefits for life, both individually and socially.
Here are some important benefits of literacy:
- Improve learning ability: Literacy helps to understand the information provided and facilitates the learning process. With good reading and writing skills, a person can access and use learning resources, such as books, journals, and articles.
- Improve Critical Thinking Ability: Literacy also helps improve one’s ability to think critically, which is the ability to analyze, evaluate, and conclude information logically and critically.
- Improves Communication Skills: Literacy also helps improve one’s communication skills, both verbally and in writing. With good writing and reading skills, a person can communicate effectively and efficiently with others.
- Improves economic well-being: Literacy can also improve economic well-being. Good reading and writing skills can open a person’s way to better employment and help improve a person’s ability to manage personal finances.
- Improving health: Literacy is also closely linked to health. A well-literate person tends to understand health information more easily and can take appropriate actions to maintain their health.
- Increase social and political participation: Literacy is also important for increasing one’s social and political participation. With good reading and writing skills, one can understand complex social and political issues and participate in important debates and decision-making.
Some types of literacy that are important to know:
- Reading literacy: The ability to read fluently, understand and interpret written texts.
- Writing Literacy: The ability to write text in a clear, standard, and effective manner.
- Digital Literacy: The ability to understand and use numbers, including measurement, math, and finance.
- Technological literacy: the ability to use technology, such as computers, the Internet and other digital devices, and to understand digital information and media.
- Health Literacy: The ability to understand health information and make the right decisions to stay healthy.
- Financial Literacy: The ability to understand financial concepts and manage personal finances well.
- Media Literacy: The ability to understand and analyze information presented in the media, including social media and news.
- Environmental knowledge: The ability to understand environmental issues and take appropriate action to preserve the environment.
All of these types of literacy have an important role in modern life and are skills necessary for success in various areas of life, such as education, career, health, and finances.
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