Frans Bauer helped his parents to conceal their low literacy

In the Netherlands, 2.5 million people have low literacy. They have difficulty reading and writing and often have difficulty using the computer. In the program ‘Life without letters’, Frans Bauer goes out with twelve people who have low literacy.

The reactions on X, once known as Twitter, are nothing short of positive:

• “Frans Bauer is wonderfully himself and respects the main characters with a smile and a tear!”
• “A sincere and beautiful program. Chapeau, Frans!”
• “What a wonderful man Frans is! Sincere, open and loving.”
• “I hope that many people become aware of the importance of language skills.”

“It is an increasing problem here in the Netherlands,” the Fijnaartse folk singer emphasized on Tuesday morning in the radio program ‘WAKKER!’ on Omroep Brabant. “Twelve years ago, the counter here still stood at one million low-literate people, who cannot read at all or cannot read with comprehension.”

Frans has a lot of interest in this subject because his parents themselves were poorly literate. “They couldn’t read and write. As children, we always tried to cover this up. So that my parents could feel comfortable in any situation, whether at home or when we went away.”

As an example he mentions that he went out to dinner with his parents. “Then I would pretend that I saw a tasty soup or main course on the menu, so that my parents knew what they could choose. I always wanted to make it nice for my parents, so that they did not have to be ashamed.”

Frans also has a child who has dyslexia. “That is also a form of low literacy. I think that many parents have a child at home who struggles with this. That is why I think it is important to create this program. To convince people who are struggling with this problem and show them the way.” to return to school.”

In the first episode of ‘Life without Letters’, Ria, among others, spoke. She told me how things used to be at her school. “Then I had to read and I was completely nervous. I would cry, throw things and get angry. I would do all kinds of things that were not allowed.” When Frans asked whether she was still frustrated about this, Ria answered emotionally: “Yes, of course!”

The shame about low literacy is enormous. “The fact that you cannot read well is not something that will simply disappear with time,” Frans emphasizes. “And reading is very important. You run into all kinds of closed doors if you can’t do that well.”