Illiteracy down to 16% in Kurdistan region

Erbil, Dec. 28 (AKnews) – Illiteracy rate in Kurdistan Region has dropped to 16% from previous 37% nine year ago and the Ministry of Education is planning to bring the figure down to 10% by the end of 2015. The ministry of education has been implementing a through plan to reduce illiteracy in the Kurdish Region through opening quick learning schools and evening schools that allow adults to go to school for education. Illiteracy rate in 2000 and 2001 was as high as 37% but now this rate is only 16%, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Education Safin Dizayee told AKnews Tuesday. The opening of more schools and especially the increasing number of quick learning schools and centers for illiterate adults has been very effective, Faisal Hasan, an assistant to the Director General of Erbil Education Department says. He says fighting illiteracy has been a top priority for the ministry of education in the recent years. "In any area or neighborhood, if the majority of the people agree on having an education center they can raise a request to us and we will be happy to help them and provide them with teachers" Hasan said. Currently, there are 88 quick learning schools in the three provinces of Kurdistan Region which educate some 15,585 learners. The quick learning centers are for the people who have dropped out of school and their age won't allow them to go back to their grades. Reported by Ahmed Ghafur Ry/AKnews Tuesday, December 28th 2010 3:01 PM