Abstract

GONTIJO, Cláudia Maria Mendes. Literacy in UNESCO’s Fundamental Education Program. Educ. Pesqui. [online]. 2024, vol.50, e265044.  Epub Dec 31, 2024. ISSN 1678-4634.  https://doi.org/10.1590/s1678-4634202450265044por.

This article examines and discusses the topic of literacy within the Basic Education Program (1946-1958) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Drawing from Mikhail Bakhtin’s theories, the theoretical analysis centers on his conception of utterance as a guiding framework. Employing documentary research, the focus lies on analyzing documents authored by UNESCO’s directors-general and specialists commissioned for organizational studies. It challenges the position of literacy within the program, delving into controversies surrounding the formulation of guiding principles to be followed by UNESCO, its educational viewpoint, the idea of fundamental education, and the positioning of literacy within this framework while scrutinizing the so-called ideal concept behind UNESCO’s global educational initiatives. The conclusion highlights that the integration of literacy campaigns into UNESCO’s educational agenda stemmed from a shift in its perception, emphasizing its instrumental nature and the ongoing need for educators to advocate for literacy across diverse age groups, resisting its reduction to a merely mechanistic and purely functional aspect.

Keywords : Fundamental Education Program; UNESCO; Functional literacy; International policies.

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