Majority of illiterate adults in developing world - UNESCO

Accra, April 14, GNA - The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) said there were about 774 million illiterate adults in the world with 64 per cent of the figure being women. The report also indicated that majority of the illiterate adults were found in developing countries adding, "Illiteracy seems to be a less priority, compared to issues of access and teaching". Mr Akwasi Addae-Boahene, Country Director, World University Services of Ghana, in a statement to launch the Global Action Week on Education organized by the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition added that literacy was one of the most neglected of the six goals of the "Education for All".

The global theme for the celebration is: "Youth and Adult literacy and Lifelong Learning" but Ghana had adopted "Literacy for All, a Challenge to National Development" to drum home the need for Policy makers to pay attention to the sector.

He said in Ghana nearly 42 per cent of the population was illiterate. Additionally about 50 per cent of women in Ghana were illiterate compared to 33 per cent of men.

However, there are regional disparities across the rural and urban divide: the proportion of the population that is illiterate in Greater Accra is 21 per cent, while Ashanti is 40 per cent. Brong Ahafo, 54 per cent meanwhile the three northern regions has over 76 per cent. Mr. Addae-Boahene noted that the literacy rates at the basic level continued to decrease thus affecting the ability of pupils to perform.

The Global Action Week 2009 which will be observed in Ghana from April 20-25 would be used to pressurize government to place literacy policies at the centre of education systems and development and create awareness on the need for families to whip up interest in reading and writing.