Literacy in Lebanon in the New Millennium

Abstract

With the advent of the 21st century, the world has witnessed a multitude of changes in almost every sector and field, and the educational sector has not been an exception. The notion of literacy today is totally different from what it meant few decades ago. Almost a century ago, anyone who could read and write was considered literate and indispensable. Today, in addition to reading and writing, developing and mastering skills such as critical thinking and implementing technology are considered fundamental and vital. This paper gives an overview of literacy in the 21st century in general and in Lebanon in particular. It defines terms such as literacy, traditional literacy and functional literacy. Data will be collected from current university students and university graduates of different generations using a self-designed survey questionnaire. In addition to that, few students, graduates from different generations and specialists in the field of education will be interviewed. The purpose of the data collection is to show whether high school graduates and university graduates are equipped with the necessary skills for university and the job market respectively. Most importantly, it aims at showing whether literacy in Lebanon is traditional or functional and whether knowing English as a second language has any impact or not. More importantly, it puts forward a list of essential skills that could help high school students and university graduates survive the demands of today’s revolutionized world.