Lack of data clouds true literacy rate

National

THE current rate of literacy is unknown because of the lack of data, says Education secretary Dr Uke Kombra.
“According to the 2000 national census, the national literacy rate was 56 per cent,” he said last Friday while closing Literacy Week.
“This data is now out of date because the national census took place 17 years ago.
“It is not clear at this stage whether the literacy rate has improved or not because up-to-date information is not readily available.
“It can be assumed that it (literacy rate) may have increased to 70 per cent or 80 per cent.
“This statistics need to be verified by appropriate authority.
“Although the Department of Education and the provinces are trying their best to improve the literacy rate through the education system and other literacy programmes, we still have to work harder because there are many school-aged children not at school – females and males.”
He thanked the government for supporting the education system from elementary to secondary through its tuition fee-free policy since 2012.