Jnai: 5 Things To Know About Illiteracy In France
Illiteracy is a real invisible scourge, affecting more than 2 million people in our country, 51% of whom are working. Contrary to popular belief, this daily handicap does not exclusively concern young people, migrants or the unemployed. Here are 5 things to know about illiteracy in France.
1- Illiteracy should not be confused with illiteracy
The terms literacy and literacy are often thought to be synonyms. But, in reality, these two words refer to different situations.
analphabetism is the situation of a person who has never learned to read or write.
Literacy is the situation of a person who, even having learned to read and write in school, has not acquired or has lost mastery of reading and writing.
2- 2.5 million people are affected
According to Insee, 2.5 million people aged 18 to 65 are illiterate in France. This disability would thus affect 7% of the adult population in our country.
Illiteracy and illiteracy particularly affect the overseas territories.
In Guadeloupe and French Guiana, this situation affects 20% of the population and up to 23% in Reunion. In Mayotte, 42% of adults aged 16 to 64 who have attended school in France are illiterate.
For its part, the National Education estimates that one in 10 young people aged 16 to 24 have difficulty reading properly.
3- Illiteracy also affects employees
Contrary to what one might think, illiteracy is not incompatible with employment. Among illiterate people in France, a majority, or 51% have a job according to Insee.
However, illiterate people encounter many difficulties on a daily basis, including in the world of work. This invisible handicap prevents the person from being autonomous in everyday situations and exposes them to a risk of social exclusion.
The fact of not mastering reading and writing constitutes a major difficulty to be inserted durably in the working world. This problem weakens the employment of the employees concerned and hinders their professional development.
4- National days are organized in September
In addition to the Ministry of National Education, many associations are mobilizing to fight illiteracy in France.
This is notably the case of the association Lire et faire lire but also of the Association pour favoriser l'égalité des chances à l'école (APFEE) and especially of the Agence nationale de lutte contre l'illettrisme or ANLCI (see link below).
In 2013, the fight against illiteracy was declared a Major National Cause and since then, national days of action against illiteracy are organized by the ANLCI every September.
These days of mobilization under the hashtag #JNAI aim to remind people that it is possible to get out of illiteracy at any age. It's never too late to learn to read and volunteers can help you do it.
Actions and training for illiterate people are offered throughout France. To find out more, you can call the toll-free Illettrisme Info Service number at 0 800 11 10 35.
5- Kendji Girac wants to become the spokesperson for this cause
The singer Kendji Girac recently made his first steps as an actor in the TV movie Champion on TF1. He plays a carpenter who hides from his entourage that he can't read and write.
The artist admitted to having been affected by illiteracy himself a few years ago: 'I too had small problems with writing. I made spelling mistakes, I had trouble mastering grammar. There was a little embarrassment: I was afraid of the pen and the paper.'
The singer therefore wishes to put his fame to the service of this cause, so that things move forward a little faster in France. In particular, he had at heart to make a film on this crucial subject to raise awareness of this problem among his audience.
