Literacy targets must reflect reality

As the government unveils its plan to raise the literacy rate among children aged 7 and above to 90 percent by 2030, it is time to reassess the actual state of learning because several surveys suggest that the functionally useful literacy rate is about half the officially reported estimate. The unusually wide gap between official adult literacy statistics, which are largely based on self-reporting, and tested literacy levels is deeply concerning. Even more worrying is the fact that half of children aged between 7 and 14 still fail to read and understand a simple story.

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Address learning gaps at primary level

A joint survey conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNICEF, titled the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2025 and published in June this year, reveals that since 2019, the proportion of children in this age group meeting the foundational reading benchmark has risen by just 1.4 percentage points, to 50.2 percent. Among Class 5 students, the rate is only 62 percent, meaning roughly two in every five students fall short of the required reading skills. Pointing to this stark gap between actual learning outcomes and the officially reported literacy rate of 77.89 percent for this age group, experts have called for greater emphasis on education quality.

The learning crisis becomes even more evident as children progress through the education system. A severe shortage of qualified and well-trained teachers, inadequate monitoring and accountability mechanisms to track student progress, and flawed teaching methods have all contributed to the poor state of foundational learning. There are also significant disparities between children from the poorest and richest households and between those living in urban and rural areas. These deep inequalities in access to quality education and learning outcomes must be addressed if the government is to make meaningful progress.

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Fix the basics of primary schools first

Adult literacy is another area where progress remains inadequate. According to experts, much of the improvement in literacy over the years has resulted from the expansion of primary and secondary education. Yet many adults and young people, who dropped out of school or have been excluded from formal education, still lack access to opportunities for lifelong learning. Therefore, the national literacy strategy must address their needs as well. The new government's pledge to raise the literacy rate to 90 percent during its term in office needs a reality check, beginning with an assessment of the reliability and consistency of the different datasets used to measure literacy. Literacy must be functional and aligned with global standards. When the world has broadened the definition of literacy, as set by UNESCO, encompassing the ability to identify, interpret, create and communicate in an increasingly digital, text-driven, information-rich and fast-changing world, we need to think beyond the conventional concept of reading, writing and counting.