Foundational literacy and numeracy in education policies and strategies in Mozambique and SADC Region

A persistent challenge in the educational sector is how to encourage the continued implementation of proven effective actions that increase the uptake of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) skills. One such action is to introduce learners to literacy in elementary school in order to improve their acquisition of basic reading skills in the early grades. The importance of FLN is demonstrated in a variety of abilities-development protocols. Poor FLN skills are damaging to human development goals, with 47% of Mozambique's population being projected to have insufficient FLN skills. Because actions to improve FLN may imply "additional costs" to the basic education sub-sector, it is critical to show that there are significant specific benefits to be gained. This policy brief, which focuses on Mozambique, emphasizes the importance of FLN in the fight against rising illiteracy rates.