Specialists say that Yemen’s illiteracy rate is set to decrease substantially in the coming years, particularly because the number of adults attending literacy classes has risen over the past few years.
“The rate of illiteracy has decreased from 56 percent in 1994 to 45.7 percent in 2004,” said Ahmed Abdullah, head of the Department for Erasing Illiteracy at the Ministry of Education. “In 2006, there were 128,080 people attending literacy classes nationwide, while in 2001 the number was only 66, 151.”
The study period at the literacy centres is two years, which is equivalent to reaching grade four at primary school. Students can also study for a third year, after which they can immediately join grade seven at school, according to Abdullah.
Abdullah also said that efforts were being made to fight illiteracy by improving literacy programmes, increasing the number of schools nationwide and spreading awareness about literacy through the media.
Education specialists say illiteracy is most rife in Yemen’s rural areas, where 75 percent of the population live. “These [rural] areas suffer from a lack of basic services, especially schools, which makes it difficult for some to receive education,” said Dr Arwa al-Deram, executive director of SOUL, an NGO dealing with education.
“Poverty also plays a big role in this regard as many poor families cannot afford to send their children to school,” she added.
Official statistics show that women are more illiterate than men in Yemen. The Department of Erasing Illiteracy said that the illiteracy rate stands at 29.8 percent for men and 62.1 percent for women.
“In rural areas, families prefer to send only boys to school, while girls remain at home to help their mothers,” said al-Deram adding that the traditions of Yemeni society do not encourage women to get an education, especially in rural areas. Yemeni men prefer women to stay at home rather than go out to work, al-Deram said.
A study carried out by SOUL found that girls often opted out of school and that a high percentage of parents did not want their daughters to continue their education. The unavailability of female teachers in villages, too, lead to girls dropping out of school.
Al-Deram said her organisation will begin educating illiterate women by using computers – a new method in Yemen - which will be provided for free to the students. This, she said, would encourage more illiterate women to study. “Literacy is rising among women more than men,” she added.
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