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Literacy in Somalia

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A girl reading text off of a chalkboard
A girl reading from a chalkboard in Mogadishu

Somalia is a nation on the Horn of Africa with a population of approximately 18 million people.[1] As of 2022, the country has an adult literacy rate[a] of about 41%.[2][3] There is a significant gender disparity in literacy rate, with 54% of men and only 22% of women being literate.[4][5] According to USAID, the youth literacy rate[b] is approximately 70%.[6] The official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic, with English and Italian used as well.[6]

Factors in literacy

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Education in Somalia is not widespread, with nearly 85% of children not enrolled in school according to USAID.[7] The nation has a lower secondary education completion rate of 19.5%.[3] Somalia's relatively poor education and low literacy rates have largely been attributed to the effects of the ongoing Somali Civil War, which began around 1991.[8] Despite this, the current adult literacy rate of 41%[2] is an improvement from 24% in 1990, and before that, 5% in 1972.[8]

Autonomous regions

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The regions of Puntland and Somaliland are de facto independent states that have separated from Somalia as a result of the Somali Civil War.[9][10] As of 2013, Puntland had a literacy rate of 72% and Somaliland had one of 44%.[c] Higher literacy was correlated with residence in an urban area, and the disparity between the regions has been attributed to a higher proportion of Puntlanders having completed primary school or attending madrasa.[11]

Notes

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  1. ^ Defined as the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.
  2. ^ Defined as the percentage of the population aged 15-24 who can read and write.
  3. ^ In this report, "illiterate" was given as a level of education; literacy values are derived from the percentage of illiterate respondents.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Somalia". UNICEF. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Literacy Rate, Adult Total". World Bank Group. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Country Profile: Somalia" (PDF). United Nations. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  4. ^ "Literacy Rate, Adult Male". World Bank Group. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Literacy Rate, Adult Female". World Bank Group. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Somalia - Education - Literacy". USAID. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Somalia - Education and Health" (PDF). USAID. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b Hassan, Mohamed (23 July 2020). "Literacy in Somalia: A Struggle to Rebuild the System Broken by War". DevelopmentAid. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  9. ^ "Puntland Profile". BBC News. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Somaliland Profile". BBC News. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Family Ties: Remittances and Livelihoods Support in Puntland and Somaliland" (PDF). Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit - Somalia. 5 June 2013. p. 6. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
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