Wanted: Broader literacy skills amid digital change

This debate took centre stage yesterday when the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED), in partnership with the US Embassy and the Tanzania English Language Teachers Association (TETLA), hosted International Literacy Day celebrations in Dar es Salaam.

While the event celebrated progress, it also became a platform to question whether Tanzania’s narrow view of literacy risks leaving many learners behind.

For decades, literacy was equated with the ability to read and write. But as a teacher educator and literacy professional at AKU-IED, Dr Samuel Andema, explained, this definition has become too narrow in a world shaped by modern technologies and cultural diversity.

“Traditionally, literacy meant reading and writing, but scholars have realised that literacy is much broader. It is not only a technical skill, but also a social and cultural practice that reflects power, identity and participation,” he said.

Dr Andema noted that since the early 2000s, new literacy scholars have argued that technology is reshaping how literacy functions. People today must not only read and write but also interpret photos, videos, cultural symbols and even digital interfaces.

“A person may be skilled in reading and writing, but if taken before a council of elders on cultural matters, they might be considered illiterate because they cannot participate in that setting. Our teaching must recognise these variations and be inclusive of all forms of literacy.”

UNESCO marked this year’s International Literacy Day under the theme “Promoting literacy in the digital era.” The organisation warns that while digitalisation has created new learning opportunities, it has also introduced new barriers for those without access.

According to UNESCO, 739 million people worldwide still lack basic literacy skills and four in ten children are not reaching minimum proficiency in reading.

At the same time, children are growing up surrounded by digital tools, which demand new skills in evaluating sources, navigating algorithms and communicating responsibly online.

For Tanzania, where many schools still lack adequate books, electricity or internet, the challenge is two-fold: ensuring foundational reading and writing skills while also equipping learners with digital competencies.

The Dean of AKU-IED, Prof Jane Rarieya, said, “On one hand, digital technologies are offering unprecedented avenues for accessing education, even in remote areas and empowering learners. But not everyone can afford or access these technologies.”

She added that digital literacy must go hand in hand with responsibility. “Technology can be misused. We have seen artificial intelligence guiding young people towards harmful decisions, even about suicide. Being digitally literate means being safe, critical and responsible online.”

Tanzania’s literacy challenge

The Tanzanian government has made significant gains in boosting enrolment and expanding access to education. Yet many pupils complete primary school without mastering reading comprehension.

And in national debates, literacy is often framed only around the “three Rs”: reading, writing and arithmetic.

An education analyst, Dr Asha Mkwizu, believes this mindset risks holding the country back. “If we continue to treat literacy as only reading and writing, we risk raising a generation that is functionally literate but digitally powerless,” she said.

Experts agree that rethinking literacy requires bold steps, including ensuring that teachers are comfortable with both traditional and digital literacies, noting that AKU’s initiative to train teachers on how to use digital resources shows how classrooms can be transformed even in resource-poor contexts.

“Literacy in Tanzania’s curriculum should reflect its multi-modal nature. Reading and writing remain foundational, but they should be taught alongside digital skills, cultural literacy and critical thinking,” Dr Andema said.

The conversations in Dar es Salaam highlighted that literacy today is a moving target. It is about enabling people to participate meaningfully in society, whether by reading a book, analysing online content or interpreting cultural symbols.

“We must embrace this broader definition of literacy because it is what will empower our learners to be critical thinkers, creative citizens and responsible users of technology,” Prof Rarieya said.