Adult numeracy is key to improving citizens’ lives and supporting the development of jobs markets, economies and societies around the globe. However, its importance is all too often overlooked, in terms of both numeracy education (for adults and in schools) and monitoring of skill levels by credible direct assessment. The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) has published a policy brief to support the assessment and development of adult numeracy worldwide.

Recent changes in the world of work, such as jobs growth in the information and service sectors, mean that today’s...

Adult numeracy and literacy skills are key to transforming lives, promoting social inclusion and contributing to sustainable societies. Achieving an optimal return on investment with regard to the development of adult skills and competencies requires the collation of comprehensive data to assess what people know, what they do with what they know, and the extent to which they are equipped to sustain themselves in the twenty-first century. To help policy-makers generate these data, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) has published a new policy brief focusing on direct...

In almost one-third of countries, fewer than 5 per cent of adults aged 15 and above participate in education and learning programmes, according to UNESCO’s fourth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE 4). Adults with disabilities, older adults, refugees and migrants, minority groups and other disadvantaged segments of society are particularly under-represented in adult education programmes and find themselves deprived of crucial access to lifelong learning opportunities. GRALE 4 monitors the extent to which UNESCO Member States put their international commitments regarding...

The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has disrupted education provision all over the world, including adult learning and education (ALE). In August 2020, a United Nations Policy Brief, Education during COVID-19 and beyond, indicated that an estimated 40 per cent of the poorest countries failed to support learners at risk during the COVID-19 crisis, and that past experiences show that both education and gender inequalities tend to be neglected in responses to disease outbreaks. Furthermore, over 11 million girls and women – from pre-primary to tertiary education – may not return to school in 2020....

The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) has just published Référentiel de compétences harmonisé , a report on the competency framework developed for RAMAA (Action Research: Measuring Literacy Programme Participants’ Learning Outcomes). The aim of RAMAA is to build the capacities of 12 French-speaking African countries to evaluate and monitor the quality of literacy programmes.

Developed by specialists in the region with UIL’s technical assistance, the reference framework provides a common tool for the 12 RAMAA countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,...

A new UNESCO issue note , produced by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), aims to support education policy-makers and planners in utilizing the power of non-formal and informal learning to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. It explains lessons learned and suggests concrete measures for action.

In almost all countries affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, cities are the epicentres of infection and the frontlines for dealing with the vast...

Based on GRALE 4 and the data collected from 18 Arab states, this regional report assesses the status of adult learning and education (ALE) in the region, with a focus on participation from the perspective of equity and inclusion. The report shows that ALE has progressed in the region since 2015, in particular in the area of policy, governance and participation. However, challenges with regard to policy implementation, the inclusion of vulnerable groups, quality and funding persist.

The region has reported remarkable progress in increasing women’s participation between...

A new UNESCO issue note , produced by the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), aims to enhance higher education institutions’ engagement with local communities in the context of the current pandemic, now and in its aftermath. It addresses education policy-makers and planners as well as professionals in the higher education sector, suggesting concrete measures and encouraging them to take action.

Most of the higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world have been forced to close their premises and...

Embracing a culture of lifelong learning, UIL’s contribution to the UNESCO International Commission on the Futures of Education, argues that creating a global culture of lifelong learning will be key to addressing the challenges faced by humanity, from the climate crisis to technological and demographic change, not to mention those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the inequalities it has exacerbated.

Drawing on the input of 12 distinguished experts from different disciplines and countries, the report reflects on the potential contribution of lifelong learning both in...

In almost one-third of countries, fewer than 5 per cent of adults aged 15 and above participate in education and learning programmes, according to UNESCO’s fourth Global Report on Adult Learning and Education ( GRALE 4 ). Adults with disabilities, older adults, refugees and migrants, minority groups and other disadvantaged segments of society are particularly under-represented in adult education programmes and find themselves deprived of crucial access to lifelong learning opportunities.

GRALE 4 monitors the extent to which UNESCO Member States put their international commitments...