The 2009 Global Week of Action on Education, an annual event promoted by the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), is this year, focusing on youth and adult literacy and lifelong learning.

In The Gambia, the event is being organised by the members of the Education for All Campaign (EFA NET) Network and activities for the week of action will take place from 20th –26th April. According to a press release from the Education for All Campaign Network-The Gambia, in 2008, close to 9 million people took part in the world’s biggest lesson, on the April 23rd. “The lesson was taught to hundreds of politicians and journalists across the globe. We know we are making an impact because since the Global Campaign for Education started in 1999, 40 million more children are now in school across the world," said Matarr Baldeh, national coordinator of EFA NET, The Gambia.

The release added that after the world’s biggest lesson in June 2008, $1 billion was promised education at the G8 in Japan, and a new commitment from donors of $2.35 billion over 3 years at the UN meeting in September – though in both cases the disbursement of funds will be critical. “UNESCO reports that literacy is one of the most neglected of the six Education for All Goals. Most education programmes have focused on primary education and adult literacy has in most cases been neglected hence the huge number of illiterate adults. The majority of illiterate adults are found in less developed countries and women tend to be represented highly in this group,” the release indicated.

The main event for 2009, the release went on, will be "The Big Read" which involves reading a special book comprised of short stories about education and written by remarkable people. The release added that people who have contributed stories so far include Nelson Mandela, Alice Walker; Chimamanda Adichine, awardwinning Nigerian author; and Dakota Blue Richards, teenage actress of Academy nominated film, Golden Compass.