By Dyson Mthawanji
Various stallholders have praised digital literacy as a key for community development during the 2025 International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations which were held in Mchinji district in Malawi.
The 2025 ILD was commemorated on 8th September under the theme ‘Promoting literacy in the digital era’. The theme urged the people to consider how their traditional understanding of literacy must evolve to meet for the demands of a rapidly changing world.
The Secretary for Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare in Malawi, Dr. Nertha Semphere Mgala said digital literacy is inevitable in as far as adapting to the changing world is concerned. She said:
Digital literacy has become essential for our daily lives. It simplifies the way we do our businesses every day. For example, farmers from Malawi can easily learn from their counterparts in United States of America through phone. Malawian business people can buy items from Mozambique through phone.
She urged stakeholders to join hands and reduce illiteracy in Malawi as illiteracy hinders progress and slows development.
She said the Ministry of Gender, through the Department of Community Development, is providing adult literacy education in both English and Chichewa to improve adult literacy in Malawi. Guided by the National Adult Literacy and Education Strategic Plan (2022-2027), the programme aims to reach 2 million people with literacy education by 2027, contributing to sustainable development.
She further stated that, in today’s digital era, it is essential for adult education programmes to harness the internet to reach a wider audience. She added that the Ministry of Gender is already embracing digital technology, delivering Social Cash Transfer Programme payments to beneficiaries through digital platforms.
Likewise, DVV International which implements Community Learning Centres (CLCs) and Integrated Adult Education (IAE) now pays monthly honoraria to its CLC instructors and IAE facilitators through mobile money.
DVV International Regional Director for Southern Africa Dr Johann Heilmann, applauded stakeholders for embracing digital literacy within their Adult Learning and Education programmes. Heilmann said:
ALE classes should be exciting to hold the participants up to the end. In Malawi, we are now promoting ‘Kuphunzira Sikumatha’ campaign which is a localised lifelong learning concept. The world now experiences various digital innovations. Therefore, people should continue learning to stay abreast with modern life.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Acting Deputy Executive Secretary, David Mulera, said the digital era presents both immerse opportunities and significant challenges.
While global internet use is high, at nearly seven out of ten people (68%), in low-income countries like Malawi, only three out of 10 people (27%) have access to the internet. Mulera said:
Member states are urged to close this digital divide. The ability to navigate the online world, to distinguish fact from fiction, and to use digital tools responsibly is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity for full participation in modern life.
Our literacy efforts must empower our citizens to benefit from the digital transformation not only teaching basic reading and writing, but also integrating digital skills into our education systems, from primary schools to adult learning programmes. We must work to ensure that our people, especially those in rural areas and the most vulnerable populations, are not left behind. This is crucial for economic development, access to essential services like healthcare, finance, and participation in our democratic processes.
However, Mulera bemoaned lack of resources for Adult Learning and Education (ALE). Mulera said:
The lack of resources and inadequate infrastructure especially in rural areas hamper delivery of education. UNESCO appeals to member states including Malawi, civil society organisations, development partners and the private sector and everyone to join hands to increase access to digital transformation.
Literacy is a fundamental human right, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that every Malawian has an opportunity to become literate and digitally empowered. We must invest in our teachers, who are in the forefront of this transformation, providing them with the professional development and tools they need. As we move forward, let us embrace technology as a powerful tool to transform our ideas into action, but let us also be mindful of its responsible and ethical use. Literacy is our path to a sustainable, just and peaceful society, and in this digital age, it is more essential than ever.
This year’s event was graced with a Mozambican delegation which was led by DVV International Country Director, José Mucuapa. The Mozambican delegation included the Mozambican Association for Family Preservation (APFM).
Mucuapa said that Mozambique’s participation at the event was a learning moment. He took the opportunity of his presence at the event to praise the introduction of Portuguese articles on the MOJA platform. He said this will promote the visibility of ALE in Mozambique, Angola and other Portuguese speaking countries.
The 2025 ILD event was financially and technically supported by UNESCO, DVV International, Action Aid, Bible Society, National Library Service, World Vision Malawi, Centre for Integrated Community Development, Build-On, Girls Activist Youth Organization and the Ministry of Gender, among others.