عربي
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics "PCBS"
On the Eve of International Literacy Day, 8th September
PCBS: Illiteracy rates reduced in Palestine from 13.9% in 1997 to 3.7% in 2013
The illiteracy rate in Palestine is one of the lowest in the world. In 2013 the illiteracy rate among individuals 15 years and over in Palestine was 3.7% (98,432 illiterate): 4.0% in the West Bank (68,093 illiterate) and 3.2% in the Gaza Strip (30,339 illiterate). The male illiteracy rate was 1.6% (21,576 illiterate) and the female rate was 5.9% (76,856 illiterate) in the same year.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education have stated that more than 180 schools belonging to the government, UNRWA and the private sector have been damaged as a result of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip during 2014. all these schools require reconstruction and renovation. the 475 thousand school students in the Gaza Strip for the 2013/2014 academic year.
By age group, the illiteracy rate among older individuals aged 65 years and over was the highest at 45.2% (58,060 illiterate) in 2013. The rate was 1.6% in the 15-64 year age group (40,372 illiterate) and 0.7% among young people aged between 15-24 years (6,296 illiterate) in the same year.
Illiteracy rates among individuals aged 15 years and over in Palestine fell in the period 1997-2013 from 13.9% to 3.7%. The illiteracy rate varies considerably between the sexes: 1.6% for males compared with 5.9% for females. For males, the rate fell from 7.8% in 1997 to 1.6% in 2013, while for females it fell from 20.3% to 5.9% over the same period.
Illiteracy rates vary by locality type. Illiteracy rates in urban areas fell from 12.4% in 1997 to 3.6% (68,893 illiterate) in 2013; from 16.9% to 4.5% (21,423 illiterate) in rural localities; and from 13.5% to 3.2% (8,116 illiterate) in refugee camps over the same period. In 2013, the male illiteracy rate was the same in rural localities, and was 1.6% in urban localities, and 1.5% in refugee camps. Female illiteracy rates were highest in rural localities at 7.5%, followed by 5.6% in urban localities and 5.0% in refugee camps.
In 2013 the highest illiteracy rate among individuals aged 15 years and over was in Jericho and Al Aghwar governorate at 6.1%, followed by Tubas governorate with 5.6%. The lowest rate was in Gaza governorate with 2.4%, followed by Nablus governorate with 3.0%.