- 2015Implementation
- 2016Implementation
- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
The world of work increasingly demands that employees have comprehensive skills, including literacy and other key competences, even for basic jobs. To support people who lack these essential skills, the Federal State and Federal Governments joined forces and launched a national strategy for literacy and basic education for adults.
Objectives
The strategy aims to support people who lack essential literacy skills and to anchor awareness of the issue sustainably in society and among stakeholders.
Description
In 2016, the national strategy for literacy and basic education for adults was followed by the Decade for literacy 2016-26, which provided EUR 180 million for the funding of related projects. A yearly monitoring report is published by AlphaDekade on behalf of the education ministry on the progress done. The first report covered the funding years 2016/17 (published in 2019).
The tasks of the AlphaDecade coordination office (BIBB) include the identification, conception and implementation of funding priorities, the technical and administrative monitoring of federal measures, the transfer and sustainable dissemination of good practice examples, cooperation with the Decade bodies and the promotion of the exchange of experience at European level. Due to the federal structure and the responsibility of the Federal States for continuing education, the exchange and cooperation with the coordination offices at Federal States level are of particular importance. In addition, the coordination office maintains contact with interest groups such as associations, foundations, employer/employee initiatives as well as self-help groups of people with low literacy. The recruitment of new partners for the implementation of the Decade is an essential goal of the Federal Government; the Federal States, and the coordination office help to shape this process. Publicising and disseminating project results, concepts and products on literacy and basic...
In 2016, the national strategy for literacy and basic education for adults was followed by the Decade for literacy 2016-26, which provided EUR 180 million for the funding of related projects. A yearly monitoring report is published by AlphaDekade on behalf of the education ministry on the progress done. The first report covered the funding years 2016/17 (published in 2019).
The tasks of the AlphaDecade coordination office (BIBB) include the identification, conception and implementation of funding priorities, the technical and administrative monitoring of federal measures, the transfer and sustainable dissemination of good practice examples, cooperation with the Decade bodies and the promotion of the exchange of experience at European level. Due to the federal structure and the responsibility of the Federal States for continuing education, the exchange and cooperation with the coordination offices at Federal States level are of particular importance. In addition, the coordination office maintains contact with interest groups such as associations, foundations, employer/employee initiatives as well as self-help groups of people with low literacy. The recruitment of new partners for the implementation of the Decade is an essential goal of the Federal Government; the Federal States, and the coordination office help to shape this process. Publicising and disseminating project results, concepts and products on literacy and basic education is another focus of the work.
In 2017, the learning portals I want to learn and I want to learn German were upgraded and updated for mobile use. The information campaign Be brave! (Nur Mut) was carried out.
In 2018, guidance services were introduced over the phone (see policy development on Telephone guidance service) and through the Alfa mobil team, which provides information on literacy and basic education on demand throughout the country. The following information was also published on literacy and basic education for adults:
- English translation of the general agreement on the National decade for literacy and basic skills 2016-26 - Reducing functional illiteracy and raising the level of basic skills in Germany;
- 10-point programme of the Länder for the National decade of literacy and basic education (resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder of 15.02.2018);
- publication of brochures on the funding programme in 2018-19.
In 2019, the BMBF funded 47 projects: nine transfer projects (e.g. ABCplus, Alpha.5, AlphaGrund II) are located in the area of workplace-oriented basic education. The remaining transfer projects are located in the area of developing offers for teachers and learners. In 2019, 20 projects were also funded under the funding guideline Lifeworld-oriented literacy and basic education. Similarly, the Basic health education project (HEAL) was continued in 2019. In addition, further projects for the development of offers for teachers and learners (e.g. AQUA, learning portal ich-will-lernen.de, learning portal ich-will-deutsch-lernen.de), as well as the ALFA-Telefon2 project, were continued or started in 2019. In the area of raising public awareness, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding outreach counselling in the ALFA-Mobil and iCHANCE projects. In addition, three purely scientific projects or research projects (REACH, LEO II, GeLiNu) were funded within the framework of the AlphaDecade.
Selected activities in 2020:
In August 2020, a new call was published for funding projects in the priority area of workplace-oriented literacy and basic education.
The campaign portal Reading and writing - my key to the world (Lesen Schreiben, mein Schlüssel zur Welt) was relaunched on International literacy day on 8 September 2020.
The AlphaDekade website documents new funded projects, including workplace-oriented literacy projects (e.g. 'alphagrund' and 'dgb-mento') or projects at the workplace Care for the elderly.
In March 2021, at the halfway point of the Decade for literacy 2016-26 strategy, the Federal State and Federal Governments reviewed the strategy's progress at the AlphaDecade conference. Data from a total of 73 projects were evaluated in a monitoring report. In 2021, a total of 806 programme offers were made, which is 349 offers less than in the previous year. A total of 9 319 participants were reached across all target groups. The number of participants has thus decreased by 41% compared to the previous year. The monitoring report also shows that new approaches and concepts, innovative solutions for reaching hitherto difficult-to-reach subgroups of low-literate learners, and a variety of teaching and learning materials have been developed.
In July 2021, 14 research projects on literacy and basic education started, funded by the BMBF. The research projects examine the living environment of adults with poor literacy and possible ways of addressing its limitations. In addition, the quality and success factors of teaching and learning in learning opportunities and the effectiveness of structures and investments in literacy and basic education work are being examined.The BMBF is funding the ALFA-Mobil project for another 3 years (2022-24). The project is planning around 140 high-profile events per year for the new funding phase.
In 2022 numerous activities have been launched and organised, e.g. AlphaDecade Conference. Furthermore, the monitoring report of the project funding for the year 2020 was published and a total of 49 projects have been funded.
In 2023, 9 development projects in work-oriented literacy and basic education, 12 projects in life-oriented literacy and basic education and 14 research projects in this field were funded with a total volume of EUR 13.7 million. In addition, the VHS learning portal and the VHS learning centres were further developed in 2023 with total funding of EUR 5.1 million.
On 30 August 2023, the Federal Cabinet adopted the Federal Government's Second Report on the Implementation of the National Decade for Literacy and Basic Education. The report also provides an overview of pilot projects on basic education in the workplace.
The brochure Reading and writing opens up worlds published in November 2023 provides information about people who have difficulties with reading and writing. Based on real stories, it presents the causes and effects of reading and writing difficulties, the advantages of learning to read and write in adulthood and where to find information about regional programmes.
In 2023, the campaign Reading and writing - my key to the world (Lesen Schreiben, mein Schlüssel zur Welt), as well as the guidance services on literacy and basic education over phone and by the ALFA mobil team continued their numerous activities.
The AlphaDecade Coordination Centre's monitoring report for 2022 was published in March 2024. The annual report summarises the key results of the 633 offers (with 6474 participants) funded in 2022 by the AlphaDecade programme.
The Federal Conference on Basic Education 2024 took place in Essen on 3 and 4 June. The German Adult Education Association (DVV) has now published the documentation. The theme of this year's conference was 'Higher, broader, more inclusive - thinking literacy forward'.
Between August and October 2024, 10 new regional collaborative projects and a nationwide competence centre were launched in the Basic education pathways funding priority of the AlphaDecade programme. They will be working over the next few years to expand regional structures for basic education.
In 2024, the campaign Reading and writing - my key to the world (Lesen Schreiben, mein Schlüssel zur Welt), as well as the guidance services on literacy and basic education over phone and by the ALFA mobil team continued their numerous activities.
Bodies responsible
- Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
- Federal States (Länder)
- Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)
Target groups
Learners
- Adult learners
- Low-skilled/qualified persons
Thematic categories
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to initiatives that promote VET and lifelong learning implemented at any level and by any stakeholder. It also covers measures to ensure and broaden access to information about VET to various target groups, including targeted information and promotional campaigns (e.g. for parents, adult learners, vulnerable groups). Among others, it includes national skill competitions and fairs organised to attract learners to VET.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Programmes supporting literacy and basic education for adults: Germany. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28142