Globally, there are many mothers who despite great efforts remain illiterate, yet literacy plays a significant role in facilitating acquisition of life skills among children and adults. The Uwezo Annual Learning Assessment Report of 2016 indicates that 45 percent of Kenyan mothers cannot read a Class 2 English story. This should concern us even as we observe the UNESCO’s designated International Literacy Day, meant to raise awareness on child and adult literacy. With this year’s theme as “literacy and skills development”, it’s important to reflect on these taking mothers into consideration.
That about half of Kenyan mothers can’t read, write, identify printed materials or comprehend them greatly diminishes their voices on socio-economic, cultural and political issues given their obligatory role at home and in the community. It’s the other half that’s privileged to advance in their lives, their children’s and the society at large. They can make better decisions e.g., manage their pregnancies and families, vaccinate children on time and enroll them in school.
They can attend school meetings, follow-up on their children’s learning progress and make informed choices on school issues. Literate mothers are confident to interact with teachers and discuss learning outcomes with their children at home. Evidently, literacy empowers besides giving them voice.
Undeniably, illiteracy thwarts women from gaining skills vital for employment or ability to meaningfully engage in income generating activities despite the fact that in many communities, mothers are expected to fend for their families. This means that those with businesses find difficulty in determining whether they are making profits or losses. In this era of mobile money, the only thing they may be lucky to recognize are numbers when someone sends them money via M-Pesa. They cannot take advantage of existing credit facilities that can increase their productivity such as M-Shwari; Safaricom’s mobile banking service and KCB M-Pesa.
The ability to open and manage an account with a bank is also hindered. Their self-esteem is ruined when queuing in banks to pay tuition fees for their children or utility bills because of illiteracy. In a bid to seek assistance to withdraw money from mobile agents, some have fallen victims of fraudsters.
In the digital space, getting and staying online is another uphill task. From inability to pay for broadband services on their mobile devices to accessing the circulating news, information and funny videos on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. In this era, where information on almost everything is accessible online, such women remain cut off.
Indeed, being illiterate is painful. Recognizing the greater role that mothers and women play is enough reason to create literacy opportunities for them. The government, private sector and development organizations should create more adult literacy classes, train and employ more adult teachers especially in rural areas. Mothers too should create time amid their busy schedules to attend and participate in adult literacy classes.
Families should provide social support to mothers pursuing reading, writing and numeracy skills acquisition. Finally, parents, as should the entire community enroll girls in school and support them throughout. Families and the society thrive when mothers and women are educated. As we commemorate the International Literacy Day, let us remember the illiterate mothers and follow it up with life-changing actions.
