[Gterepem] [Confintea VI] GLEACE - Declaración sobre analfabetismo y alfabetización / Declaration on illiteracy and literacy

[FANNY GOMEZ]

*On illiteracy and literacy*

*Declaration of the members of the Latin American Group of Specialists in
Literacy and Written Culture (GLEACE)*

We, the undersigned members of the Latin American Group of Specialists in
Literacy and Written Culture (GLEACE), wish to express that:

   1. We valorise the renewed efforts which have been made in Latin America
   and the Caribbean in the field of adult education.
   2. We consider specially propitious the setting and the moment created by
   the 6th International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI, Belem,
   Brazil, 1st – 4th December 2009) to be held for the first time in the
   southern hemisphere and specifically in this region.
   3. We feel ourselves moved by the call to advance “from literacy to
   lifelong learning” set out during CONFINTEA V (Hamburg, 1997) and repeated
   in the case of this region in the preparatory regional conference, held in
   Mexico in September 2008.
   4. At the same time, and in this framework, we observe with
   preoccupation:

(a)   The predominant emphasis which has been given to literacy, to the
point of once again reducing adult education to literacy. In addition, the
traditional dichotomies between illiterate and literate and between pure
illiterates and functional illiterates, widely questioned by abundant
research as well as by the very development and complexity of the written
culture in the world, persist.

(b)  Literacy activities which are implemented in a vacuum, both at national
and regional levels, ignoring the rich and lengthy history of adult literacy
for which Latin America and the Caribbean are well know internationally.

(c)   The persistence of a simplistic and facile conception of literacy seen
as a process which can be executed in a short period of time, in precarious
conditions, by educators with little or no training, using just one method,
with scarce reading and writing materials, a feeble use of modern
technologies and without taking into account the linguistic and cultural
diversity of the students. Precisely because they are illiterate people or
with low levels of schooling these poor sectors which have for years been
denied the right to education, deserve contemporary educational provision of
the highest quality.

(d)  The absence of learner assessment, often considering as literate those
people enrolled in programmes or who declare themselves as literate, without
verifying what they have really learned and without creating conditions in
which they can use what they have learned and continue learning. This way of
proceeding not only ignores the centrality which should be attributed to
learning in the whole educational process but also the very experience of
rigorous evaluations of mass literacy campaigns and programmes carried out
in the same region in the past and in the present, by which as a result
instead of advancing, in many cases we witness regression.

(e)   The political use of numbers and literacy rates, including the
declaration of ‘territories free of illiteracy’ or ‘literate countries’ on
the basis of a purely statistical estimate. Instead of facing up to the
problematic with the integrity which this deserves, the illusion is created
of having solved illiteracy in a record time. This contributes, on the other
hand, to the contrary effect which is the greater marginalization of those
people and groups who are declared as literate when they are not.

(f)   The continued separation of illiteracy from its structural conditions
of reproduction, principally poverty and the denial of the right to a public
free quality education for the whole population, without which it is
unthinkable to solve the question of literacy in a sustainable fashion.

   1. In this context, we make a renewed call to the international organisms
   to coordinate inter-agency actions and to carry out their technical role,
   assuming their responsibility in the face of the indispensable seriousness,
   transparency and credibility of those government actions which they support.
   It is not an exaggeration to record that organisms like UNESCO and others
   dedicated to the tasks of international cooperation, were created to offer
   support to governments for the benefit of their peoples.
   2. Finally, we request that CONFINTEA VI deals in a critical and
   reflexive manner with the question of illiteracy and the literacy of young
   people and adults in this region and in the whole world, encouraging
   government initiatives but within the framework of a sincere and not
   demagogic dialogue, open to the participation of social organisations and to
   the diverse national and international actors who intervene in this field.

Sincerely,

*Marta Acevedo* (Mexico). Editor of books and material in original
languages.

*Miriam Camilo Recio* (Dominican Republic). Coordinator of the Master’s
Course in Adult and Youth Education at the Santo Domingo Technological
Institute (INTEC), member of the Latin American Council of Adult Education
(CEAAL) Working Group on Literacy and Adult Education), ex-General Director
of Adult Education, State Secretariat of Education.

*Lola Cendales, G*. (Colombia). Educator and researcher of Dimensión
Educativa, Bogotá.

*Susana Fiorito* (Argentina). President of the Pedro Milesi Foundation and
of the Bella Vista Popular Library (Córdoba). Coordinator of a Learning
Community project whose central concern is reading and writing.

*Gregório Hernández Zamora* (Mexico). Doctor in Language and Written Culture
from Berkeley University – USA, researcher and independent consultant.

*Maria Isabel Infante R.* (Chile). National Coordinator of Adult Education,
Ministry of Education.

*Timothy Ireland* (Brazil). Lecturer on the Post-Graduate Programme in
Education at the Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa.

*Maria Luisa Jáuregui* (El Salvador). Ex-Regional Specialist in Adult and
Youth Education at the UNESCO Regional Office for Latin America and the
Caribbean (OREALC), in Santiago de Chile.

*Maria Eugenia Letelier* (Chile). Coordinator of the National System of
Evaluation of Learning and Certification of Studies, Chilecalifica
Programme.

*Luis Oscar Londoño Z.* (Colombia). Independent researcher in Education.
Specialist in Adult Education.

*Vera Masagão Ribeiro* (Brazil). Researcher and coordinator of programmes
for the ONG Ação Educativa, São Paulo.

*Ana María Méndez Puga* (Mexico). Lecturer-researcher in the School of
Psychology at the Michoacán University in San Nicolás de Hildago, Morelia,
Michoacán.

*José Rivero H.* (Peru). International consultant, ex-specialist in Adult
Education at the UNESCO  Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
(OREALC), in Santiago de Chile, and founding member of the Peruvian National
Council of Education.

*Miguel Soler Roca* (Uruguay). Uruguayan teacher. Ex-Director of the UNESCO
Division of Literacy, Adult Education and Rural Development and Doctor
Honoris Causa from the University of the Republic, Montevideo.

*Rosaura Soligo* (Brazil). Teacher, trainer of teachers, researcher and
collaborator in the Group of Studies and Research in Continuing Education
(GEPEC) at UNICAMP and coordinator of projects at the Abaporu Institute of
Education and Culture, Campinas/São Paulo.

*Rosa Maria Torres* (Ecuador). Coordinator of the Latin American Group of
Specialists in Literacy and Written Culture (GLEACE). Coordinator of the
Latin American Pronouncement on Education for All. Ex-Adviser of the
Education Section at UNICEF-New York and editor of the bulletin Education
News. Ex-Minister of Education and Cultures. Ex-Pedagogical Director of the
National Literacy Campaign “Monseñor Leonidas Proaño”. Moderator of the
virtual networks E-ducative Community and Ecuador-reads-and-writes.

*Vera Barreto* (Brazil). Educator with great experience in Adult and Youth
Education, Pedagogical Coordinator of the Vereda Centre of Studies in
Education, São Paulo.

*Other subscribers:*

*Cecilia Amaluisa Fiallos* (Ecuador). Specialist in adult education. Ex
National Director of Lifelong Popular Education at the Ministry of
Education, Ecuador, member of the inter-governmental group responsible for
formulating the Iberoamerican Plan for Literacy and Adult Basic Education
2007-2016, promoted by the Organization of Iberoamerican States (OIS).

*Pep Aparicio Guadas* (Spain). Specialist in literacy and adult education.
Coordinator of the Centre of Resources and Continuing Education, of the
Municipality of Valencia and President of the Paulo Freire Institute in
Spain.

*María de Lourdes Aravedo Reséndiz* (Mexico). Master’s Degree in Sciences
with a postgraduate diploma in Educational Research. Vice-director for Basic
Contents at the National Institute for Adult Education-INEA.

*Alberto Blandón Schiller *(Colombia). Teacher. Director of the Popular
School  KAMINOS, Bogotá.

*Carmen Campero Cuenca* (Mexico). Lecturer-researcher at the National
Pedagogical University and member of the Network of Adult and Youth
Education.

*Nélida Céspedes Rossel* (Peru). President of the Latin American Council for
Adult Education (CEAAL). Member of the Executive Committee of the Latin
American Campaign for the Right to Education (CLADE), Regional Coordinator
of Tarea in Ayacucho.

*Susana Córdova Avila* (Peru). Educator. General Director of the Institute
for the Promotion of Quality Education (EDUCA Institute). Ex General
Coordinator of the Integrated Literacy Programme in San Juan de Lurigancho
(Edualfa Programme). Ex Director of the National Literacy Programme.

*Francisco Cueto Villamán* (Dominican Republic). Political scientist.
Director of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences – Dominican
Republic FLACSO Programme.

*Lydia Ducret* (Uruguay). Teacher. Director of the Review QUEHACER
EDUCATIVO, of the Uruguayan Federation of Teachers (FUM-TEP).

*Benito Fernández F.* (Bolivia) Director of the German Association for Adult
Education (AAEA)-Bolivia.

*Dinorah García Romero* (Dominican Republic). Educator. Ex General Director
of Curriculum. Ex General Coordinator of the Poveda Cultural Centre.

*Sandra González *(Dominican Republic) Researcher. Coordinator of the Centre
for Educational Studies/ Santo Domingo Technological Institute (CEED/INTEC).

*Ana Margarita Haché* (Dominican Republic). Associate professor of the
Pontificate Catholic University Madre y Maestra. Trainer of teachers of
Spanish as mother tongue. Expert in the preparation of educational material
for the teaching of reading and writing.

*Jefrey Lizardo* (Dominican Republic). Economist. Associate researcher and
member of the Academic Council of FLACSO- Dominican Republic Programme.

*Sergio Haddad* (Brazil). Educator. General Coordinator of the ONG Ação
Educativa, São Paulo.

*Argentina Henríquez* (Dominican Republic) Educator, researcher. Co-founder
of the Poveda Cultural Centre. Consultant for National Educational Reforms:
Decennial Education Plan 1992- 2002; Strategic Plan 2002-2012; Decennial
Plan 2008- 2018.

*Rocío Hernández *(Dominican Republic) Researcher. Lecturer in Adult and
Youth Education. Dean for Teaching Management at the Santo Domingo
Technological Institute - INTEC.

*Raúl Leis R.* (Panama). General Secretary of the Latin American Council of
Adult Education (CEAAL).

*Julio Alexander Parra M.* (Venezuela). Graduate in Education. Facilitator
at the Centre for Adult Basic Education - CEBA "Los Curos", Merida.

*Sebastià Parra Nuño* (Spain). Adult educador. Retired professor at the
Universidad de Girona (Cataluña). Member of the Executive Council of the
Paulo Freire Institute in Spain and of the Popular Education Association
‘Carlos Fonseca Amador’ in Nicaragua.**

*Magda Pepén Peguero* (Dominican Republic). Associate researcher.
Co-coordinator of the Education Programme and Coordinator of the Programme
for the Promotion of Educational Reform in Latin America and the Caribbean
(PREAL) of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences –FLACSO – Dominican
Republic Programme.

*César Rolando Picón* (Peru). International Consultant, ex-General Director
of Adult Education and ex-Vice-Minister of Pedagogical Management of Peru,
ex-specialist in literacy and adult education at CREFAL, ex-UNESCO
specialist in literacy and adult education in Central America, ex founding
coordinator of the CEAAL Programme of Literacy and Popular Basic Education.

*Magaly Pineda* (Dominican Republic). Sociologist, researcher and feminist.
Executive Director of the Centre of Research for Feminine Action - CIPAF.

*Jorge Jairo Posada E* (Colombia). Lecturer at the National Pedagogical
University of Colombia. Invited lecturer on the Master’s Degree Course in
Adult and Youth Education at the Santo Domingo Technological Institute -
INTEC.

*Mario Quintanilla Arandia* (Bolivia). Director of the Institute for
Research and Pedagogical and Social Training - IIPS. Specialist in the
Reflect literacy method. Responsible for the literacy programme at IIPS in
rural municipalities in Bolivia. University lecturer in Adult Education at
the Salesian University.

*Jorge E. Ramírez Velásquez* (Colombia). International Centre for Human
Development - CINDE, Bogotá.

*Rudá Ricci *(Brazil).Sociologist. General Director of the Cultiva
Institute, of the National Executive of the Brazilian Budget Forum (FBO) and
of the International Observatory for Participative Democracy (OIDP).

*Jorge Rivas *(Uruguay). Researcher at the Regional Centre for Cooperation
in Adult Education in Latin America and the Caribbean - CREFAL,
Pátzcuaro-Michoacán, Mexico.

*Jorge Rivera Pizarro* (Bolivia). Independent consultant. Adviser to the
UNESCO Multi-country Office for Central America. Ex-Education Officer and
Representative of UNICEF in Costa Rica and Argentina. Founder and first
Director of the National Literacy and Popular Education Service of Bolivia
(SENALEP).

*Yadira Rocha* (Nicaragua). Educational Sector, Institute for Development
and Democracy - IPADE, Managua.

*Brenno Sander* (Brazil). President of the National Association for
Educational Policy and Management - ANPAE.

*Sergio Serrón Martíne*z (Venezuela). National Coordinator of the UNESCO
Chair in Reading and Writing. Professor at the Experimental Liberating
Pedagogical University.

*William Thélusmond *(Haiti). Coordinator of the Centre for Research and
Developmental Action (CRAD). Coordinator of the 'Regroupement Education pour
Toutes et pour Tous (REPT)'. Collective Network of CEAAL in Haiti.

*Madeleine Zúñiga* (Peru). National Coordinator of the Peruvian Campaign for
the Right to Education. International Consultant on language, cultures and
education.


The document in English is available at
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22701247/GLEACE-Declaration-on-Illiteracy-and-Literacy-October-2009

El documento en español, incluidas las últimas adhesiones, está disponible
en:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22077669/GLEACE-Declaracion-sobre-Analfabetismo-y-Alfabetizacion-Oct-2009
http://confinteavi.blogspot.com/

Saludos / Greetings,

Rosa María Torres
Coordinadora, GLEACE

Fronesis: http://www.fronesis.org
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Scribd: http://www.scribd.com/rosa%20maria%20torres
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http://aprender-leer-escribir.blogspot.com/
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