The Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ghana Education Service has reiterated its call for the commitment of funding for adult literacy and non-formal education programmes, as the nation desires to catch up with the rest of the world through ICT.

According to the NFED, the quest for speedy national socio-economic development calls for full incorporation of computer literacy into education in Ghana.

"This is well strategized in the formal sector. The non-formal education sector and ICT is however lagging behind. Adult learners cannot be left out in the desire of the nation to catch up with the rest of the world through ICT".

This was contained in a statement issued by the NFED to commemorate this year's International Literacy Day, which fell on Sunday, September 8. The commemoration of the day began in 1966 after it had been recommended at the World Conference of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy in Iran in 1965.

The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Literacies and the 21st century”. Annually, from 1966, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has observed the day with the intention to alert and rally international interest and active support for literacy activities. The NFED noted that as the country ascribes for a cashless economy, it has become even more compelling to push for financial literacy that promotes electronic transactions (e-cash).

Apart from the need to target pupils and students with this competency right from school, those who make the decisions about money now - adults especially the non literates - and those in the informal sector need to be targeted also.

"If the recent research of the Institute of Statistics, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) which pecked adult illiteracy in Ghana at 46% is anything of concern, then the need for highlighting the importance of literacy as a basic learning tool, the acquisition of new Literacies and lifelong learning is critical on a day like this," the release noted.

The NFED therefore called for a committed resolve to be made to invest into funding the Non-Formal Education Division of the Ministry of Education and its Partners to promote the acquisition of basic and other Literacies.