The Department of Education reminded the public via social media that Literacy Week is currently underway. The annual observance began on September 2 and ends on Saturday, September 8, which is International Literacy Day.

The observance is conducted in accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 239, signed in 1993 by then-President Fidel V. Ramos, which called literacy “a fundamental right of all and a vital factor empowering people and communities towards meaningful development.”

“It is the duty of the state to support in terms of policy, resources, and programs geared towards the eradication of illiteracy,” the proclamation read. “There is a need to highlight the importance of literacy and education.”

During this period, DepEd, along with other pertinent agencies, are expected to conduct programs to help eradicate illiteracy.

The observance ends with International Literacy Day, which, according to the United Nations, is “an opportunity for governments, civil society, and stakeholders to highlight improvements in world literacy rates and reflect on the world’s remaining literacy challenges.”/WDJ