International
Reading Association Literacy Award Noma Literacy Prize King Sejong
Literacy Prizes Malcolm Adiseshiah International Literacy Prize
2001
Meeting
from 2 to 6 July 2001 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, THE JURY,
appointed by the Director-General to award the International Reading
Association Literacy Award, the Noma Literacy Prize, the King
Sejong Literacy Prizes and the Malcolm Adiseshiah International
Literacy Prize in recognition of the services of institutions,
organizations or individuals having distinguished themselves by
making a particularly meritorious and effective contribution to
the struggle against illiteracy,
Recalling
that the International Reading Association Literacy Award, the
Noma Literacy Prize, the King Sejong Literacy Prizes and the Malcolm
Adiseshiah International Literacy Prize were established in 1979,
1980, 1989 and 1998 respectively through the generosity of the
International Reading Association, the late Mr Shoichi Noma of
Japan and the Governments of the Republic of Korea and India,
Recognizing
that the demanding challenges of literacy cannot be met unless
the necessary political will and commitment of Member States is
aroused, the active participation of intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations, especially those working at the grass-roots level,
is ensured and a broad movement of international solidarity is
created,
Having
examined twenty-seven nominations submitted by governments and
one by a non-governmental organization in compliance with the
stipulations and criteria of the General Rules Governing the Award
of Prizes for Meritorious Work in Literacy, THE JURY has unanimously
decided to award:
The
International Reading Association Literacy Award
to
WORKBASE, THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR WORKPLACE LITERACY AND LANGUAGE,
NEW ZEALAND, for:
1.
raising the literacy skills of the New Zealand workforce, in particular
the socially excluded and minority groups, through a range of
innovative literacy programmes in the workplace to cater for the
learning needs of low-skills employees;
2.
convincing employers of the economic return of investing in workplace
literacy and persuading them to release their employees during
working hours to attend literacy courses in enterprise-based learning
centres;
3.
designing tailor-made, quality literacy and technical-skills programmes
coupled with appropriate reading and teaching materials thus generating
the interest and motivation of learners to assist in the courses;
and
4.
monitoring and evaluating the programmes in order to gather feedback
from learners and managers, and seeking to identify benefits not
only in terms of individual literacy skills gains, better health
and safety records but also as regards increased quality and productivity.
The
Noma Literacy Prize
to
the INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE ESTUDOS ET APOIO COMUNITÁRIO (IBEAC),
FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF BRAZIL, for:
1.
conducting an extensive youth and adult education programme in
the State of São Paulo involving civil society in projects relating
to social exclusion, introducing a national participation campaign
to foster better standards of living, education and culture for
the marginalized people of the community, creating Community Councils
of Education, Culture and Social Support at local and regional
levels, and ensuring literacy education to every age group of
the community;
2.
successfully involving government agencies, civil society, the
private sector and philanthropic enterprises in order to ensure
technical and financial support for the programmes;
3.
developing creative, diversified, practical materials in the design
of the programmes, training teachers and using extensively various
forms of media to advertise the availability of programmes; and
4.
making it possible for participants, particularly youth, to attain
a level of mastery of literacy skills and other knowledge enabling
them to re-enter the formal schooling system and complete junior
or high school studies.
The
King Sejong Literacy Prizes
to
the TIANSHUI EDUCATION COMMISSION, GANSU PROVINCE, PEOPLE'S
REPUBLIC OF CHINA, for:
1.
planning, piloting and implementing a large-scale literacy campaign
on a comprehensive basis through carrying out preliminary surveys
of target groups, forward planning, organizing on-site observations
and periodic training courses for full-time literacy educators
in the light of learners' actual needs;
2.
adopting diverse and flexible forms of literacy programmes for
every age group and suited to the target groups and their environments
such as itinerant literacy teachers, home tutoring and group teaching
in large villages;
3.
focusing on increasing farmers' knowledge of science and technology,
raising the awareness of parents for the need for schooling for
their children as a means of preventing a future generation of
illiterate adults; and
4.
mobilizing all sectors of society, including the Communist Youth
League (CYL), women's federations, secondary school students during
the summer holidays and individual citizens to run literacy classes,
establishing strong post-literacy programmes through cultural
technical schools at township and village levels supported by
books such as rural practical techniques and readers for farmers,
thereby facilitating and strengthening literacy skills.
and
to
the PROJECT ALFATIBONIT/ALFA DESALIN EXECUTED BY LA FONDATION
PAUL GÉRIN-LAJOIE (FPGL), REPUBLIC OF HAITI, for:
1.
creating a partnership with the Government of Haiti in the initiation
of a community programme in a well-defined geographical, hard-to-reach,
isolated area of Haiti, setting up structures to favour the participation
of the poorest levels of society, notably women, strengthening
actions aimed at developing basic education, and involving the
local population in the setting up and functioning of classes;
2.
combining literacy with other activities such as income-generating
and motivational micro-enterprises with financial aid from the
project, opening community dispensaries, training monitors, managing
the environment and agriculture, imparting information on civic
rights and health issues;
3.
linking adult literacy and basic education to children's education
thereby facilitating the creation of a literate atmosphere within
the family; and
4.
promoting literacy in the learners' mother tongue, Creole, and
developing strong post-literacy activities to reinforce and sustain
learning.
The
Malcolm Adiseshiah International Literacy Prize
to
the DIRECTION DE L'ALPHABETISATION ET DE L'ÉDUCATION DE BASE
(DAEB), REPUBLIC OF SENEGAL, for:
1.
reaching out to the rural population, particularly women and out-of-school
children and those who have left early or who never attended school,
in order to reduce the illiteracy rate in the most disadvantaged
regions of the country, actively seeking the participation of
women in the programme to correct disparities between the sexes
and stressing gender issues during the learning;
2.
supporting the efforts of the government in the implementation
of its new literacy policy, promoting literacy activities and
experimenting with alternative education models and post-literacy
activities implemented by non-governmental organizations and other
local operators;
3.
strengthening national capacities for delivery, follow-up and
evaluation of non-formal education activities, active methodology
and tools, and new methods of delivery, experience sharing, documentation
and statistical management, and strengthening of action research;
and
4.
creating a literate environment through post-literacy activities
including the production of specially designed, easy-to-read books
and newspapers in national languages to develop further and strengthen
learners' literacy skills.
THE
JURY, conscious of the need to reward, make known and encourage
the many individuals, projects and activities in the field of
literacy that can serve as examples and sources of inspiration,
has further unanimously decided to award honourable mentions
to the following institutions and organizations:
International
Reading Association Literacy Award
to
the ASSOCIATION DES ÉGLISES DE PENTECÔTE DU RWANDA, RWANDESE
REPUBLIC, for: (1) making its first priority the struggle
against illiteracy within the framework of its welfare and sociocultural
programme and persevering with literacy work under extremely difficult
circumstances and despite limited financial resources; (2) reconstructing
literacy centres in several provinces and establishing pilot literacy
centres in Kigali town, rural Kigali and Gitarama; (3) introducing
new and more efficient methodology and training of literacy educators;
and (4) integrating national reconciliation with the literacy
programme as well as with the struggle against sexually transmitted
diseases and the AIDS pandemic.
Noma
Literacy Prize
to
the MAHILA SAMAKHYA PROGRAMME: EDUCATION FOR WOMEN'S EQUALITY,
REPUBLIC OF INDIA, for: (1) raising women's civic awareness,
understanding and questioning of their environment in order to
improve their economic, social, political and civic conditions;
(2) linking literacy - reading the words to reading the world;
(3) empowering women to transform their lives through changing
deep-rooted cultural practices and negative traditions, and to
create a learning environment for themselves and their children;
and (4) addressing a wide range of issues such as equal minimum
wages, improving civil amenities, accessing resources, ensuring
educational opportunities, particularly for girls, participating
actively in the political sphere, and questioning and addressing
social issues such as violence against women and children.
King
Sejong Literacy Prizes
to
the FEDERAL LITERACY ASSOCIATION, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY,
for: (1) launching an effective nationwide mass-media campaign
to raise public awareness of the illiteracy situation in the country;
(2) providing, anonymously, through modern technological means
information on literacy classes and how to access them; (3) producing
easy-to-read and motivational materials for young people and adult
beginners with the involvement of the adult learners themselves
and specialist German magazines on literacy and basic skills education;
and (4) seeking partnerships with the public and private sectors
not only to sensitize them to the problem but also to obtain financial
support.
and
to
the ADULT EDUCATION DIVISION, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, STATE
OF ISRAEL, for: (1) adapting the Hebrew language programme
designed for educated immigrants from the West to meet the specific
needs of illiterate Ethiopian immigrants; (2) using a transitional
bilingual approach starting from the Amharic language moving to
Hebrew and taking account of Ethiopian cultural background; (3)
involving and training educated Ethiopians as teachers as a way
of providing learners with a secure environment; and (4) designing
and producing new materials tailor-made to meet the basic needs
of the learners.
Malcolm
Adiseshiah International Literacy Prize
to the MINISTÈRE DES PÊCHES MARITIMES, KINGDOM OF MOROCCO,
for: (1) recognizing the importance of investing in literacy skills
for seaboard fishermen; (2) improving the quality and productivity
of fishermen; (3) opening, through literacy and vocational training,
avenues leading to greater employment opportunities and responsibilities
on board ship; and (4) developing a special learning package for
this type of education related to questions concerning the sea
and fishing activities.
Finally,
THE JURY wishes to recognize the work being carried out by the:
HIJA
DE MARÍA AUXILIADORA DE COLOMBIA, MEDELLÍN, REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA
and
THE
BIBLE TRANSLATION AND LITERACY (EA), REPUBLIC OF KENYA
and
wishes to encourage them to continue with these worthwhile efforts.
THE
JURY wishes to honour the innumerable women and men throughout
the world who, day after day, often anonymously and under difficult
conditions, serve the cause of literacy with perseverance and
devotion. Lastly, and not least, THE JURY wishes to draw attention
to the contribution of donor agencies and of civil society, providing
human, financial and material support towards the goal of literacy
for all.
Members
of THE JURY are:
Martha
M. Mvungi (Chairperson),
Laila Kamel,
Ran-soo Kim,
Thomas G. Sticht,
Rosa María Torres
INTERNATIONAL
LITERACY PRIZES 2001
PRIZES
(5)
International
Reading Association Literacy Award
Workbase, the National Centre for Workplace Literacy and Language,
New Zealand
Noma
Literacy Prize
Instituto Brasileiro de Estudos et Apoio Comunitário (IBEAC),
Federative Republic of Brazil
King
Sejong Literacy Prizes
Tianshui Education Commission, Gansu Province, People's Republic
of China Projet Alfatitbonit/Alfa Desalin, Republic of Haiti
Malcolm
Adiseshiah International Literacy Prize
Direction de l'Alphabétisation et de l'Éducation de Base (DAEB),
Republic of Senegal
HONOURABLE
MENTIONS (5)
International
Reading Association Literacy Award
Association des Églises de Pentecôte du Rwanda, Rwandese Republic
Noma
Literacy Prize
Mahila Samakhya Programme: Education for Women's Equality, Republic
of India
King
Sejong Literacy Prizes
Federal Literacy Association, Federal Republic of Germany Adult
Education Division, Ministry of Education, State of Israel
Malcolm
Adiseshiah International Literacy Prize
Ministère des Pêches Maritimes, Kingdom of Morocco
