LITERACY AS INDEX OF SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: WHAT ARE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SCHOOL LIBRARY?
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of literacy on socio-economic development with a focus on the contributions of school libraries towards increasing the literacy leve. The paper is a review of existing literature on literacy and socio-economic development and the contributions of school libraries to literacy development and other related documents. The purpose is to establish whether literacy rate determines the level of socioeconomic development or not and to highlight the role which libraries play in literacy acquisition. The qualitative research approach involving the content analysis of secondary sources of information including journals, books, lecture series, proceedings of conferences, and other documentary evidence was adopted as methodology. Findings revealed that a country's socio-economic development level is determined by its citizens' literacy rate. It also showed that libraries enhance literacy development through the provision of access to learning resources. Based on the findings the study recommended that efforts should be made by the government to increase the rate of literacy, especially through the establishment and funding of libraries.
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