#Act4Dyslexia today for tomorrow’s competitive workforce

This article is authored by Obijiofor Aginam and Noopur Jhunjhunwala.

This Dyslexia Awareness Month explores how we can drive better learning outcomes, curb dropouts, tackle mental health, and power a future-ready, competitive workforce, by mainstreaming inclusion in education of the invisible 20% with learning disabilities.

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As we rethink education for the rapidly changing demands of the workforce, urgent attention is needed for the invisible 20% of the population; individuals with Learning Disabilities (LDs) including dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia. These students are at a significantly higher risk of being left behind in lifelong learning opportunities.

The statistics are alarming. Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLDs) are more likely to experience lower learning outcomes. With a 35% higher risk of dropping out of school by Grade 8, they are also disproportionately affected by mental health issues including anxiety, depression, stress, and attempted suicide. They are at a greater risk of becoming entangled in juvenile delinquency or substance abuse.

But here is the critical point: When appropriately nurtured, their dyslexic thinking is transformative—enabling them to excel in innovation, problem-solving, and creativity, all critical skills for a future-ready workforce. Throughout history, we have seen visionary leaders, entrepreneurs, Nobel Laureates, scientists, and inventors leverage their dyslexic thinking to not only transform sectors but also build new industries that have moved societies forward. As AI takes over routine tasks, dyslexic thinkers will excel where machines cannot.

For every dyslexic person who manages to thrive, there are countless others whose potentials go unnoticed. This isn’t because they lack ability but because the systems designed to support them fall critically short. The main culprit? An education system that is not tailored to their needs: Early screening, proper support structures, or recognition of their unique strengths, skills and talents.

Only one in 20 people with learning disabilities are diagnosed. In the Global South, early detection faces challenges like lack of awareness, poor teacher training, limited medical access, and diagnostic tools in local languages. Even in resource-rich countries, flawed assessments, misinformation, and societal biases leave many undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Without global diagnostic standards, this issue will remain hidden in many societies.

Dyslexic thinkers often excel in entrepreneurship, STEM, and the arts, but conventional education systems label them as underachievers. They are stuck in rigid curriculums that focus on ‘fixing’perceived weaknesses and lowering expectations. Instead, we should create learning pathways that nurture their strengths, skills, and talents. Vocational learning pathways can lead to success in multiple sectors, including tech, offering viable alternatives to traditional and formal education.

International agreements and aspirational goals like United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCPRD) and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 promote inclusive education, but the policy and institutional pathways to achieve their targets are challenging. Expensive models limit quality special education to the wealthy, while students with learning disabilities in low-income countries are often left behind.

To address these challenges, policy and institutional interventions must begin at three levels: the student, the educator, and the school eco-system. If we are to avoid pushing students with learning disabilities into learning poverty, we must rethink education from the ground up.

For students, early identification can be life-changing. Governments need to prioritise the development of regional diagnostic tools and strengthen healthcare systems to ensure access to diagnostic services, across age groups, and ethnic and linguistic diversities. Educators must be trained and re-tooled to recognise the early signs of SLDs, ensuring that children are diagnosed before they fall behind. Investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered diagnostic tools, especially natural language processing models, can ensure they are available in regional languages so that no child is left undiagnosed.

Teachers are on the frontlines of inclusive education, yet too many are ill-prepared to support students with learning disabilities. Educators must be trained in multi-sensory teaching methods and Universal Design for Learning (UDL), empowering them to integrate diverse learning strategies into everyday classrooms. Incorporating low-cost assistive technology and tech driven learning options into daily classroom activities can create a more supportive learning environment, not only for students with learning disabilities but for all students. The key is to embed these strategies in pre-service and in-service teacher education to ensure that inclusive and equitable quality education becomes accessible to all.

Inclusion starts with schools. They must be redesigned to meet diverse learning and support needs by focusing on inclusive special education. Schools need special educators, low-cost assistive technologies, flexible and adaptive curriculums, and integrated social-emotional support. Current models are often resource-intensive, highlighting the urgent need for low-cost, scalable solutions, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Emerging technologies can play a crucial role in making this possible.

The time to act is now. The future of work demands creativity, innovation, and problem-solving—skills that individuals with LDs are wired for. By ignoring this potential, we run the risk leaving millions of people behind in the SDG 4 Goal of “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all”. Humanity stands to lose the next generation of entrepreneurs, scientists, and innovators. As AI and technology reshape the global economy we need diverse and critical thinkers who can approach complex challenges with innovative insights.

We must rethink education to find ways to mainstream the inclusion of these learners who think differently. Countries need to mainstream inclusion into their national education policies, investing in models for inclusive, accessible learning. Blended financing models that bring Governments, private and philanthropic actors into public-private partnerships offer promising solutions for inclusive education. We need an adaptable, multi-sectoral, and inclusive framework that go beyond theoretical commitments to deliver practical solutions that are both scalable and sustainable.

This is not just a call for reform. It is a pragmatic proposal to revolutionize learning. It is time to harness dyslexic thinking to build a more inclusive, future-ready, innovative world. The time to #Act4Dyslexia is now.

This article is authored by Obijiofor Aginam, director, UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) and Noopur Jhunjhunwala, co-founder & trustee, ChangeInkk.