The Literacy Foundation invites partners in the education sector, booksellers, businesses, and citizens to renew their commitment to greater mastery of reading and writing. This call is launched as the 25th approachese anniversary of the Gift of Reading program.
As part of this initiative, born in 1998, Quebecers are invited to donate brand new children’s books, which will be given to children aged 0 to 12 living in disadvantaged areas. These books aim to give them a taste for reading, with the aim in particular of encouraging their perseverance in school. In 25 years, more than 1.1 million books have been given to children across the four corners of Quebec, thanks to the collaboration of several public institutions, Archambault, the Association of Public Libraries of Quebec, the Association of Quebec Booksellers, Buropro Citation, Coopsco, Libraires and Renaud-Bray, who have installed more than 350 collection boxes in their establishments.
Reading as a gift has embellished the trajectory of thousands of children who have been able, thanks to reading, to make fascinating discoveries, enrich their knowledge and develop their potential, for their own good and that of all of society. The influence of Reading as a Gift also helped raise awareness among Quebecers of the academic, social and economic consequences of poor literacy skills and illiteracy.
However, we must insist again on the importance of this program and that of the fight against illiteracy, because the progress of recent years is weakened by the pressures of all kinds which are exerted on families, on people at work and businesses.
Fragile progress
In 2011, 55.5% of Quebecers over the age of 15 did not reach level 3 literacy. Remember that level 3 literacy is necessary to understand dense texts, to correctly interpret their meaning or to make adequate connections between the different ideas they contain. This is the level that allows you to evolve with a feeling of competence in an economy where tasks are specialized, where instructions can be complex, and where technological transformations are continuous.
However, this proportion fell to 53.0% in 2016 and to 51.6% in 2021. While there has been an improvement in the general picture in Quebec, the Foundation for Literacy has nevertheless observed with concern a growing gap literacy skills between the Montreal region and other regions of Quebec.
In the current economic and financial environment, many young adults studying, dropouts or workers following requalification programs are struggling to make ends meet and are leaving training places for work. This movement is further amplified by staff shortages, which lead companies to hastily solicit potential workers through attractive conditions.
Let us avoid compromising lasting gains attributable to education and training because of immediate needs. Literacy development is fundamental. Particularly in this context of economic and digital transformation, where we see new niches emerging in several regions, particularly in relation to the energy transition. Demand will be strong for a highly skilled workforce empowered to develop their skills at the demanding pace of a highly innovative society and industry. Poor reading and writing skills have serious consequences for individuals, but also harm the socioeconomic potential of all of Quebec.
Knowing how to read and write well remains a pillar of a stimulating and enriching life, as well as an essential foundation of a fair society and a dynamic and prosperous economy. This is why we reiterate our ambition for Quebec to be one of the most literate societies in the world. Together we can achieve this. Reading as a gift constitutes a concrete gesture to move in this direction.