Literacy in Sudan
Literacy is an important issue in Sudan. With so many thousands of children who have had no access to education, it is difficult to comprehend how the country will survive and rebuild. And not only is the present generation devoid of educational skills, but in many cases, their mothers and fathers have also been deprived of learning at school. Constant political strife, civil wars, a culture that forbids girls from attending school in favor of getting married, abject poverty, and a lack of educational resources have all led to the calamitous situation for literacy in Sudan.
According to a 2003 World Bank study, "Research shows that it takes five to six years of basic schooling to achieve functional literacy and numeracy." Yet many in Sudan only have one or two years of total schooling, which puts them well below the literacy mark. Sadly, much work must be done in order to make education accessible to all levels of Sudanese society. With the help of international aid organizations, missionaries, and other countries, coupled with community elders, intellectual leaders, and the government, Sudan must take great strides to ameliorate its present rate of illiteracy.
To fully understand the complexity and extent to which the problem exists, we have complied a list of the most alarming statistics regarding literacy in Sudan.
Key Facts:
- Second highest rate of illiteracy in the world
- South Sudan has a higher illiteracy rate than North Sudan
- Darfur has the lowest literacy rate in the country
- Studies conducted in 2000 indicated that the average adult population had only received 1.9 years of schooling (less than two years)
- Has been estimated that as many as ninety percent of the women are illiterate
- Very few teachers are females
- In Southern Sudan, as many as three times the amount of boys go to school versus female attendance, making this the worst ratio in the world.
- Relief organizations estimate illiteracy as high as sixty-one percent
- In 2003, youth literacy (ages 15-24) rate was 78% in the north
- In 2001, the adult literacy rate in South Sudan was 24%
- Although the Sudanese government has a Ministry of Education, much of the primary schooling is managed by NGOs.
Despite the negativity of the past, everyone agrees that educating the children of Sudan is the hope for the future. They will be the bridge between historic events and future economies.
Initiatives Undertaken to Increase and Improve Literacy in Sudan:
- Mobile teachers for educating nomadic people and increased awareness of the importance of education
- Creation of female-only schools and colleges
- Creation of programs to combat adult literacy
- Development of non-formal education for children that do not attend schools
- Accelerated learning programs for adult females
- Promotion of literacy through the media and other communication with villages
- Establishment of school feeding programs which have proved to be excellent incentives to attract new students and maintain higher attendance ratios.
- Promote schooling through the residents' own languages to raise awareness and to encourage families to send their children.
- Provide alternate education programs such as vocational training for ex-soldiers
- Evening adult literacy classes have begun in some areas
- In the process of constructing new schools
- Ongoing training for teachers and the creation of course syllabuses
Indeed literacy in Sudan is improving as more access is made available to students, but the country is far away from other developing nations like India. As organizations work to build schools, train Sudanese teachers, and raise awareness among the villages, progress is evident with even the smallest change. Village elders are proud their children have modern schools with qualified instructors, books, desks, computers, latrines and hand washing stations. They want their young to grow up differently and they want them to have the basic necessities to which they are entitled.