International Literacy Day (ILD) 2007 places special focus on the vital relationship between literacy and health. This is also the thematic emphasis of the 2007-2008 biennium of the United Nations Literacy Decade. Unesco and its partners will focus their advocacy activities on this particular topic. International Literacy Day 2007 will look at notable literacy and its links with general health care, nutrition, family and reproductive health and health-related community development. Literacy is an integral aspect of the universal right to education but also an essential basis for improving health conditions.
Despite many and varied efforts, literacy remains an elusive target: Some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 72.1 million children are out of school and many more attend irregularly or drop out.
According to the National Statistics Office (Census 2005) 286,284 persons aged 10 years and over were literate, while 36,444 persons were illiterate. The illiterate element in the population constituted a share of 11.24 per cent of the total population over 10 years of age. The level of literacy/illiteracy is not equally distributed among genders. Within the male segment of the population, 86.91 per cent or 138,320 persons were literate while 12.56 per cent or 19,995 persons were illiterate. At 90.40 per cent, male literacy is highest in the Northern Region. On the other hand, at 83.37 per cent, male literacy is lowest in the South Eastern Region.
The number of female literate persons account for 89.55 per cent of the female population, aged 10 years and over. This rate is somewhat higher than that in respect of males. According to the Census, 147,964 females were literate while 16,449 were illiterate. The lowest female literacy rate was recorded in the south-eastern region. However, it may be noted that, at 87.86 per cent, the female literacy rate within this region is significantly higher than the male rate within the same region. Again, as in the case of males, the Northern Region had the highest level of female literacy in the country. At 36,444, the absolute number of illiterate persons in the population is higher than that recorded in the 1985 Census.
Despite many and varied efforts, literacy remains an elusive target: Some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 72.1 million children are out of school and many more attend irregularly or drop out.
According to the National Statistics Office (Census 2005) 286,284 persons aged 10 years and over were literate, while 36,444 persons were illiterate. The illiterate element in the population constituted a share of 11.24 per cent of the total population over 10 years of age. The level of literacy/illiteracy is not equally distributed among genders. Within the male segment of the population, 86.91 per cent or 138,320 persons were literate while 12.56 per cent or 19,995 persons were illiterate. At 90.40 per cent, male literacy is highest in the Northern Region. On the other hand, at 83.37 per cent, male literacy is lowest in the South Eastern Region.
The number of female literate persons account for 89.55 per cent of the female population, aged 10 years and over. This rate is somewhat higher than that in respect of males. According to the Census, 147,964 females were literate while 16,449 were illiterate. The lowest female literacy rate was recorded in the south-eastern region. However, it may be noted that, at 87.86 per cent, the female literacy rate within this region is significantly higher than the male rate within the same region. Again, as in the case of males, the Northern Region had the highest level of female literacy in the country. At 36,444, the absolute number of illiterate persons in the population is higher than that recorded in the 1985 Census.