UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC
SOCIAL COUNCIL ^ AND
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA Sixth session
Addis Ababa, 19 February - 3 March I964
Distr.
GENERAL
S/CN.14/269
5 February 1964 Original; ENGLISH
ADULT LITERACY AND ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (prepared by UNESCO)
Contents
Paragraphs
The World Situation 1-4
Why a Campaign for Adult Literacy ? 5-8
Literacy and Development: Fact and Theory 9 _ 17
National Plans and Literacy in Africa 18-1°
Noods of a National Literacy Campaign 20
Prosont Literacy Programmes in Africa ... 21-24 Adult Literacy, Adult Education and National Development . .25-26
Cost of Adult Literacy 27-42
Recommendations 41
Annoxeg
I Text of a General Assembly Resolution
II Primary School enrolment and adult illiteracy in African_countrios
e/cs.14/269
adult literacy and economic and ^social development The World Situation:
1. It is estimated that there are at least 700 million adults over 15 years of ago - some two-fifths of the world's adult population - "who oannot road and write.
2. In 18 countries with a total population of 635 million (with 259
million illiterate) less than 3 per cent of adults were attending literacyclasses in i960. In the same year, out of £06 million children of school
age in 35 countries of Africa, Asis and Latin America only 110 million wero attending primary school. A very-largo proportion of these leave school before becoming effectively literate, and many who complete the course re turn to largely illiterate communities or have no opportunities to use their knowledge - and relapse into illiteracy. Some twenty to twenty-five ^million new illiterates are probably addod to the adult population every year, and in a number of countries the total number of illiterates is still increasing as population growth outpaces the expansion of the school system,
3. In the face of this situation and after full consideration of a report
presented by Unesco (E/3771 - World Campaign for Universal Literacy) the General Assembly of the United Nations at its 18th Session in December 1963*
voted a resolution (No. 1937 (XVTIl)), which calls for national and inter
national efforts to eradicate illiteracy within the framework of overall
development plans. ( A copy of the resolution is attached as Annex A.)
I4., The eradication of illiteracy must indeed become an integral andinseparable part of the.-whole economic, social and cultural development of mankind. This principle is very important for Africa, 0ne could even say that the implementation of the decisions taken by the Conference of African
States on the Development of Education in Africa (Addis Ababa I96I) in regard
to primary, secondary and university education, is closely related to, and depends in large measure upon, effective extension of literacy throughoutthe region. ;
"Why q Campaign for Adult Literacy1?
5. An illiterate person, cut o"f from all communication by the written and
1
printed word and hence deprived oij the most important means of education, is,excluded from effective participation in the political and social life of community and nation; he is alsb debarred from all but the most elementary
visual and oral training for vrori in industry and modern agriculture. Vast
potential resources of manpower for political leadership, technical progress and improved production are thus condemned thro-ugh mass illiteracy to remain untapped'and unproductive and a drag on the progress and modernization of the developing .countries . It is tot fortuitous that the world map shows a
close coincidence between areas of high illiteracy and areas of low productivity,
B/CN.14/269
Pago 2
nor that rapid economic development has been associated.in many countries with the eradication, of illiteracy.
6. Economic development and the increase of productivity (which is an
*urgent task for the greater part of humanity) needs more skilled
and trained persons, demands the reduction of mass illiteracy and programmes of continuing education.
7. Widespread illiteracy is not only a limitation to personal satisfactions and achievements, but is a deterrent to national economic growth and to the development of social and political institutions, capable of providing the benefits of contemporary technology.
8. The achievement and maintenance of functional literacy in a society
requires three thingsi (l) primary school attendance for at least four
years for practically all children; (2) an extensive adult literacy campaign;
and (3) a programme of continuing adult education.
Literacy and Development: Fact and Theory: .
9. There can be no doubt that modern societies require high levels of literacy. It is, however, difficult to .specify precisely how literacy inter acts with the myriad other factors which also are associated with economic growth and -the development of contemporary social and political institutions.
Analyses of empirical evidence are far from conclusive and efforts to formulate a theoretical view of the role of literacy are hampered by the
complexi-ty of the developmental process; nevertheless, suggestive conclusions regarding literacy can be derived from existing studies.
10. Turning first to empirical evidence, the simple cross-tabulations of literacy levels in 1950-19514 and "per capita income in 1955 among ninety countries
(Table I) has led Bowman and Anderson (l) to conclude that: (a) a literacy
rate of 30 to 1+0 per cent may be a prerequisite to per capita incomes
exceeding $200 in most cases and C300 in all; (b) there is remarkably
little increase in incomes through the range, from 30 t'o 70. per centliteracy; and (c) one-third of the countries where literacy rates are between 70 and 90 per cent have attained incomes of from $300 to $500, but the
remaining one-third illustrate that the extension of literacy to a majority of the population is not a guarantee of even moderately high income.
JTJ Mary Jean Bowman and C. Arnold Anderson, "Concerning the R31e of
Education in Development" in Clifford Goertz (ed.)» Old Societies
and New States (New York; Free Press of Glencoe, %
* 14/269
3 Table'IDistribution of Countries by 1955 Gross National Product Per Capita and Percentage of Adult Population miho woro
Literate in 1950-51;. (D
Gross 'National Product per Capita, 1955 (in U.S. Dollars)
Per Cent oT Adults Literate .
195O-5l|
Under $100-
199
$ 200-
299$ 300
'; 500& over Total Per Cent
90-99 80-89.
70-79
60-69 50-59 1+0-U9 30-39
20-29 10-19 Under 10Total Per cent
-
-
_
-
1 1 2
- c,/
7 16 18
-
-
1 2 1 2 1
h
6 2
19
21
1 1
3
2
3 3
h
-
1
-
18 20
2 2 5
2 1 • 1
_
- ■
-
-
13 11*
21 1 1
-
X
—
-
-
21+
'4
10
.6
77 7
12 9
90
27
1*
11
7
8 8 8
U
13
10
100 .
11. Kcarp narrowly economic effects.,of illiteracy are" studied in the mariy investigations of the relative productivity of workers having different
amounts of education. The results of a number of investigations in ■different countries indicate'that labour productivity increases with the number of years of education of the worker. Host studies estimate the
influence of various years of formal education without an attempt to specify
the effects of literacy itself.
(l) Ibid, p.252
E/CF. 14/269
Pa go 4
12. In a famous study by S. Strumilin, however, there is an estimate
that in the U.S.SJU, levels of literacy achieved after one year of studyincreased the productivity of a worker in one type of production process by an average of 30 per cent in contrast to an increase of only 12 to 16 per cent for an equivalent period of job-related training given to
illiterate workers,
13• While there are many theories of economic and social growth, there are few theoretical explanations of the process by which literacy inter acts with other factors to break down the traditional society and inaugurate and sustain economic growth and social change. One explanation, propounded by Daniel Lerner(l), is based on the familiar view that modernization follows on "autonomous historical logic" in which each phase generates the next
by an intrinsic mechanism. The first phase is urbanization, which by
concentrating population "stimulates the needs and provides the conditions
needed for 'take-cfff toward widespread participation". Once urbancentres contain about 25 per cent of the population, the possibility for modern production requires the spread of the market into the hinterlands, and for this second phase "literacy is both the index and agent". As more and more people become literate, there is an increase not only in
the human capacities and attitudes required for modern methods of production,
but also the creation of new desires and the development of the means ofsatisfying them. Out of these conditions comes the third phase of moderni
zation, media, participation.lij.• It is well known that the whole process of development and emancipation
depends in large measure on the level of technology and the professional and vocational skill in every society. This is the reason that the UnitedNations and its Specialized Agencies have paid so much attention to various
forms of Technical Assistance. This is "why international collaboration and assistance to the developing countries take so often the form of supporting national efforts for the training of national leaders, experts and workers necessary in all fields of economic and social life. Widespread and sometimes increasing illiteracy is a major obstacle to the fulfilment of these aims.15» Anthropologists have also long studied the process of economic and so- oial change. Their conclusions with regard to the timing and interrelation of various factors in development are crucial for an understanding of the
contribution of literacy. The most pertinont conclusion is that overall pat tern change is far iiioro conducive to modernization than the stop-by-step • introduction of piscoaoal modifications, ■ ■ '
The Situation in Africa regarding Illiteracy
lo»Statistics of illiteracy are difficult to obtain and notoriously in accurate, owing to the difficulty of establishing standards and testing achievements and the many problems of census taking in areas of high illiteracy. The table attached as Annex B shows the situation in regard to adult illiteracy in Africa around 1950,
(l) See Daniel Lerner, The Passing of Traditional Society (The Free Press:
Glencoe, Illinois, )
■' ' E/CK. 14/269
Pago 5
17- The table also shows enrolment in the primary schools in I960, Plans adopted by the Conference for the Development of Education in Africa at Addis Ababa in 196I and since developed by the Conference of African Ministers of Education in Paris in I962 aim at the establishment of universal primary schooling by I98O. It is recognized hoover that the development of the school system will have to be accompanied by
determined programmes of adult literacy and mass education, which will have a more immediate effect on productivity and will greatly reduce ivastaee
from the school system.
National Plans and Literacy in Africa
18. Many African countries no\t have national plans for economic and social development. These plans are based on their natural and human resources at their present level and aim at developing both. New investments, industrialization, the establishment of the infra-structure, the better utilization of the technology, etc., are handicapped by the need for
(l; more manpower; (2) the planned transfer of population from rural areas to urban areas; (3) changes in the social structure of the popu lation; (k) a higher level of education; (5) vocational training for new workers and people already employed in various fields of activity.
19- National plans in African countries generally include as indispensable elements general and vocational education, higher education, the provision of employment and an appropriate percentage of the total income dedicated to education. An increased number of the Governments in-Africa now also hava plans for literacy campaigns and mass adult education. Wide inter national experience shows that education must be included in general development plans and that adult literacy and adult education must be
included in educational plans.Needs of' a National Literacy Campaign
20. The report of the Addis Ababa Conference on the Development of
Education in Africa states:
"Before a literacy programme can be- launched, a number of problems must be solved: the budget must be set up and financial support assured; the organization to manage the overall programme and its supporting services must be established; a decision must be reached, if it has not already been taken, on the language or languages to be used for adult literacy work .in the country as a whole and in various Imguisuic groups; a suitable method of teaching reading, writing and- arithmetic to adults must be chosen; the curriculum and teaching programme for adult courses must be established; teaching material^
must be prepared, and printed, if such materials are not already in . existence; a decision must be taken as to the types of teachers to
be employed, their training, and their remuneration." '
e/ck.14/269
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Present Literacy Programmes in Africa
21. Most of the African' countries are carrying out widespread activities in the field of adult .literacy. In certain African countries, adult du- cation is conceived as an -extension of the school system to adults and as the responsibility of the Ministry of Education; in others, it is linked with community development. In some areas, the school-teacher is the main
agent of adult education in the villager in some, community development vrorkers and the staffs of various departments and services are engaged;
in others again, volunteers are enrolled and trained. A comparatively new system of TanimationT stresses the training of community leaders as
innovators ('animateurs')•
22. Nevertheless, various obstacles hamper the elimination of illiteracy:
low national revenues; insufficient financial means; lack of qualified personnel,and appropriate locales; insufficient reading material; the isolation or difficulty of access to certain regions of the country during part of the year. These obstacles should be differentiated from the lack of personal motivation for literacy, which may be due to economic and so cial factors, the level of emancipation, the possibilities of employment, .as well as to psychological factors.
23. In most countries governments have taken responsibility for adult literacy and mass education-work; in some, strong support is given by non governmental agencies, ranging from University extra-mural departments to Trade Unions, Youth and Women's Organizations. In this connexion, the .Addis Ababa- Conference stated:
"The primary responsibility for the promotion and development of' adult education in each country should belong to the government.
There is, however, room for a vide variety of organizations and for the collaboration of many organizations.concerned with adult education."
2i[.. Side by side with the support given by certain governments and by private associations or individuals, however, one finds indifference, or
even inertia, in many circles. In general, if public opinion in many countries has taken cognizance of the problem, it is not yet sufficiently interested or one may say motivated, to give the fight against illiteracy the priority -which it requires.
Adult Literacy, Adult Education and'National Development
25. Whatever the pattern of. action adopted, a national programme for adult literacy should lead on to continuing adult education and make a maximum contribution to social and economic development," It must therefore be conceived as an integral part of the national plans for education, and, in the -wider context, as an essential'element of the'national development
plan.
E'~ ' 14/269 26. If thcdQ aims are to be achieved;, adult education programmes (including
literacy courses and education through the spoken word and by film, radio
and eventually television); must be given appropriate financial support in
allocating rssoi^cs" within the budget for national development -
Cost of Adult Literacy
275 The Concept of Cost- Cost is the number of units of currency (efgj
dollars /"Tih a'^ET'inus ■£* TxT's'De.Qt in oi'der to obtain a given quantity of a commodity or service of specified quality., Generally it will be found that while there are many technically possible methods of producing a particular jroduot, one method is less costly than the others,■> and it is this method which determines the cost of item. Certain methods are cheaper than others because they utilize efficient technical processes or because they roauire materials and skills which are relatively less scarce than those needed -°or ether methods,-28 ■> The Co.-.b o:l .i ..it. 'aoy Programme in Africa: For the 36th Session of L1".^ . < vT'>.:oo'::r ;'■',' ini 'Jf6*c-u./^r6~.LiciX~W«^o~pTep&red a document entitled
"Wot-l'I Ca^TDc.'f" ?:v T, .vvsol Mteracv" ; In this document there was a section ri fh» co -t ;"' ■ ,-;c: . ' -. ■.ie literacy ceinpaign in which the cost per pupil e'x-olljd :.:\ ?■ j? we.'aoy co.^'ae of 10 months' duration in Africa was estimated at'■ "iff?;'?''* '■ - -3 of,;.onal figure.- certain to vary among countries^ was
e -'tablis'vj •; ■"'■ . ^ - ■ ■' ,'Dny course based on a conventional classroom situation.
"JMlij pruv>=?lL_L - -..- -.- -jd .>.oaus:. it is an uncomplicated method whereby costs os1"1. be es^'-V'.."1 .. :;h>ut inordinate difficultye
29= T.:i3 ";j-'*a ■. l,: r; of ~t literacy programme of this typo (cost a |7«35 Per
■gars<,n en.'j! ,?cy for ai'' African Member States of Unesco has been estimated a-^ $5^-! r-"- -' ■- ■ i-" "t^R document submitted to the United Nations1 Economic and & or "■..-;" Council by Ur>eso= The figure is based on the enrolment in
literacy to1.1 =u-: d some ?0 million illiterates. Total adult illiterates in
Air'-uia. are JstT^t^c. at 105 million (l) and since the Unesco literacy pro
gramme cal-"..d ir. t.^e V ■■. us ion of all illiterates between the ages of fifteen ani fifty, the ■i;../til is reduced by about one-third,- If the literacy campaign
is to extend for a period 'iver 10 years, the c^st per year comes to $51*U
million^ The significance of this magnitude is indicated, by comparing it with the estimated annual national income of $3Os6 billion in 1965 for these
African countries and with a rough estimate of $2Ji billion annual expenditures for all education (2). Thus,* the annual claim .on resources for the proposed adult literacy programmes comes to about 2 per cent of the anticipated total annual education budget of these countries*. Furthermore, if foreign aid of about $3o million per year, the amount suggested in the Unosco submission to ECOSOC; is made available, Africa ;s pro rated share should amount to !$7 million which further reduces the internal burden of the adult literacy campaign.
30o The basic assumptions underlying the cost estimate are that 250-300 hours of classes per pupil are to bo provided during a period of 10 months to a year; that literacy teachers are professionals in literacy and work
(1) World Literacy at Mid-Century (P^ris, Unesco. 1951) p.- 15•
(2) The Developmont of higher ^ducacion in Africa (P?ris, Unesco^ I963) P-
E/CN, 14/269
Pago 8
full time, that the instructors in literacy are assumed to receive the same salary as that of beginning primary school teachers which, at present, is estimated as about $600 per year in Africa; that, for the most-part, new classroom buildings and equipment will be needed, and that close super vision of local programmes is required.. These assumptions follow from the
scarcity of potential volunteer literacy teachers and available facilities because of the presently low levels of literacy in the developing countries
and the intensive primary school programmes now under wayu31tt The table below shows the estimate for each of the major elements in a literacy course, tho cost per pupil enrolled, separating these into capital
■and recurrent costsr
Summary of Costs of Literacy Programme:
Type of Cost Average Cost Per Capital Outlay Per Person Enrolled Pupil Required Before
Initiation of Programme
Capital
Classrooms and Equipment $ SO 4 5
Teacher Training 2^00 10
Recurrent
Instruction U^OO
Supervision-Inspection o25
Supplies »60
. Totali I 7o35 $ -15
52. Possible Alternative: Less Costly Methoa-ii Appropriate measures taken in the~^iTferent iJiemHer~^ta"tes could eventually decrease,sharply in some cases, the cost of the eradication of illiteracy,. Unesco, referring to experiences
already acquired in some parts of tho world, is studying these possibilities
of decreasing the costs.
First there is the possibility of using teachers rather than specially trained professional teachers. Adult illiterates, for the most part, are persons familiar with many aspects of life and often possessed of much funda mental wisdom and knowledge,, Maintaining the interest of such adults requires
teachers of considerable intelligence, flexibility and pedagogical skills,The f3Ui:.3rf;i\"-ijion of unskilled volunteers for professional teachers results
in no genuine saving if it seriously hampers the success of the programme.But in many African countries it will be possible to employ -volunteer teachers without creating unduly low levels or instruction if methods of specialization
are developed so that trained teachers are used only for those tasks which
require personnel with several years: preparation, leaving routine tasks tovolunteers and less highly trained persons. Research on the specificaiJDn of
possibilities for specialization, on group teaching and on ttu uco of mocha,
nical and visual aids to help the loss trained teachers is highly desirable,
■ / - ' E/CN. 14/269
Pago 9
33* Instructional costs vrould be reduced if the professionally trained ' teachers continued to teach on the average for more ^han'the assumed period of five years.^If for example the duration of teaching were to be doubled, the cost per pupil would fall by a dollar. It might be less costly to raise the salary of literacy teachers in order to obtain permanont workers rather than bear the high costs of training marginal labour force participants.
3U. A further and important possibility for the reduction of cost is to
utilize space in existing buildings for literacy classes. If these ore school buildings and commercial and industrial buildings which are not occupied during a portion of the day or evening, they can be used and new
iaciiities need not be constructed.
35. These and less costly ways of combating illiteracy have been tested in many countries of the world. The utilisation and adaptation for African countries offer the best hope of obtaining good results with the scarcity of
financial means. .
36. International Assistance for Adult Literacy; The economic factors
necessary to operate a literacy campaign are not easily moulded into the ' traditional framework of international aid. Effective teachers - a critical element m literacy training - must be indigenous to the'-area where the literacy campaign takes place. If they are not totally familiar with local customs, and conditions, it is unlikely that the rapport necessary for moti vation and communication will occur. Building materials and equipment/
however, could be produced or purchased abroad and made available to the
programme. The printing of teaching materials and the training of administrators and heads of training institutions also could be aided with external resources.
Similarly, the training of instructors who are to train the future teachers of literacy could be the subject of international aid. In the Unesco paper
World. Campaign for Universal Literacy presented to the United Nations hcwiwiixo and isociai Council, it is estimated that at least one-half of the cost^of equipment and material should be made available as international aid to the developing, countries. Such a contribution would help to meet the foreign exchange requirements for these items which often must be obtained from abroad.
37. International assistance con make a more sizeable contribution to the world-wide-literacy campaign through increased aid to other aspects of a country's development programme, which has the effect of releasing domestic resources. Thus, increased foreign aid in the form of food stuffs and other needed products would release local labourers to work on school construction and to participate in the teaching of literacy. At the same time/the growing recognition of the importance of educstion, and other forms of investment in human capital, to the whole process of development must bring forth innovations
m the methods and the quantity of aid. Such changes will enlarge the possibilities of foreign assistance, not only for adult literacy education
out possibly also for other educational programmes.
of ?ho^Ptrn°? Wat.teaol\ers ^ f« "*« J^ra alter th9 completion
of their training is employed m deriirtogthe cost estimates presented above.
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38» Tito different approaches and policies: This brief review of foots, ■
theories and situations strongly indicates that widespread literacy is crucial to the ©mergence of a modern society and that the absence of adequate adultliteracy activities is likely to contribute to the failure of development
plans, A further implication is that for success, literacy programmes must take place within the context of a broad ranging pattern of social and economic change.39. A difficulty under these circumstances is that the entire programme required for the promotion of such wide ranging changes is a highly costly one necessitating a great amount of materials, facilities, equipment and
skilled manpower. It is unlikely that a sufficient amount of these resources
can be marshalled in the developing countries in a relatively short time for a massive literacy campaign encompassing the great majority of illiterates in a programme which integrates literacy with other development programmes.J4O. There remain, however, two essentially different strategies, both of
which may be viable under certain circumstances,
ill. There is first the strategy of an extraordinary notional effort towards
universal functional literacy. This kind of strategy, successfully employed in several countries, requires rather high initial rates of literacy and a fairly high level of material product to provide the enormous amount of per sonnel required, the existence of strong motivations for learning to read and write throughout the population, and a programme co-ordinated with other development programmes*
I4.2. The second strategy involves the establishment of different stops, and
different phases for the eradication of illiteracy, according to economic and social needs. This moans in the some time the establishment of priorities for some parts of the population and the selection of limited groups for literacy teaching, based on an assessment of the contribution of literacy to development plans, objective by objective and seotor by sector. Such a strategy might also concentrate on groups where motivational conditions were most favourable. An approach of this sort was advocated by the Institute of Economic and Social Development of Paris, ^ivo wrote in their study for Unesoo : " ,. .The strategy of the literacy campaign would not be diffuse but would harmonise with the sector or regional priorities of the plan, themselves closely associated with the stages of the school enrolment programme and with operations for developing the traditional and modern sectors," (l)Recommendations!
Il3« If tho view expressed in this document is accepted, namely that mass
illiteracy must be reduced as an essontial feature of national development plans, a number of important recommendations follow:1. In countries where'there is. widespread illiteracy, plans to accelerate the establishment of universal primary schooling should be accompanied by programmes for adult literacy; this
(l) "The Ralationship Between the Literacy Caxrpaign and Economic Development"
in World Campaign for Universal Literacy. Report presented, .to-tho General
Conference of Unesco at its 12th session (UNESCO, 12C/fcRG/3, p.Uo)B/OH. U/269
Pago 11
is necessary both to open tho benefits of education the possibilities of further training to illiterate adults who are the actual producers and leaders m the community and to avoid the wastage caused when children return from school to an illiterate community
2O Those programmes may take the form of nation-wide campaigns for the eradication of mass illiteracy'or, as the Addis Ababa Conference
{2) recommended, may "start vdth a limited number of local projects
or courses for certain groups or special zonesV
3. Governments should consider, where appropriate, tho desirability of introducing some form of legislation, or of issuing a description oi policy, to give impetus to adult literacy education;
4. TOiere adult literacy campaigns are to be launched, financial support
must be assured; and appropriate organization to manage the overall programme and its supporting services shoul-d be established; the language or languages to bo used for literacy must be determined;
the teaching methods must be chosen; teaching and reading materials must ^prepared and provided where they do not already exist; and a decision must be taken oh the types of teachers to be employed and the question of their remuneration, and finally their training-
must be assuredc ^
5. Primary responsibility for the promotion and development of adult literacy and adult education in each country should belong to the government although the resources of voluntary and non-governmental organizations should be fully and effectively used;
6. Adult literacy programmes should open the door to continuing adult
education and should be related to social and economic development;
7. Adult literacy and adult oduc3ti:,n should thus be an essential ele ment of national development plans and should be treated as -
proper object for the allocation of funds for national development:
with priority m tho appropriation of funds in accordance vdth
its social and economic benefits;
3. In general, sources of funds for literacy should come out of the
total pool of national revenues, including domestic taxation and in^rontionol aid. IThero support for literacy programmes and the administrative situation permits, locally collected funds may be used for a more extensive local literacy programme. International aid specifically for literacy should be concentrated on the provision oi literacy materials, r cpooii'lists1 .-nd .folloY/ships. for"
training abroad*
of African States on the Development of Education in lS ^Qba' }96l, Final Report. Addis Ababa^aris, i Economic Commission for Africa/l/nosce, I96l,
127 pp. Report of Commission IV. '
i3/CN. 14/269
Pago 12
If the Commission agrees with tho foregoing conclusions, it might wish to adopt a resolution rocorarnonding '-bhwa "^° ^s members.
e/cn.
Annex I
UNITED NATIONS G3N3RAL ASSEMBLY - EIGHTEENTH REGULAR SESSION. "
SUBJECT OF RESOLUTION: World Campaign for Universal Literacy'
DATE ADOPTED: 11 December I963 '"VOTE: Adopted unanimously
DOCUMENT NUMBERS
COMMITTEE REPORT TO ASSEMBLY: Second Committee Report A/5653 ' RESOLUTION AS ADOPTED BY ASSEMBLY: 1937 (XVIII)
TEXT OF RESOLUTION
The General Assembly, . ■
Recalling its resolutions 1677 (XVI) of ,18 December I96I and 1710 (.XVI) of 19 December I961, and Economic and Social Council reso lution 972 (XXXVI) of 31 July 1963 on co-operation for the eradication
of illiteracy throughout the world,
Having considered with appreciation the report entitled "World
Campaign for Universal Literacy" (l), called for by the General Assembly,
which was approved by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at its twelfth session and transmitted to the Assembly through the Economic and Social Council,
Expressing its deep concern at the grave situation revealed in this report, which indicated that:
a) According to the best available estimate, more1 than 700 million adults of fifteen years and over or more than two-fifths of the world's
population, were illiterate in the mid-twentieth century;b) In many countries of Africa, Asia and Latin America, the Percen
tage of adult illiterates is between 70 per cent and 90 per cent, of the population" and the rate of illiteracy among women is considerably higher,and that in the present circumstances, in these countries alone, approxima<
tely 20 to-25 million new illiterates will be added annually to the adult population in the nest six or seven years;
Reaffirming its belief that the right to education is one of the fun-
damental rights of man, as set forth in article 26 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, and that mass illiteracy is an obstacle to social and economic progress during the United Nations Development Decade
and thereafter,
(1) E/377I and Corr. 1 and 2,
B/CN.14/269
Aunox I, pago 2
Recognizing that, while the eradication of illiteracy is in the main a'problem requiring national effort, intensified international co
operation also has an important role to play in the solution of this problem,
Noting; the broad conclusions brought to the attention of the General Assembly by the General Conference of the United Nations Educa tional, Scientific and Cultural Organization in its resolution 1.253J of
12 December I962, adopted at its twelfth session,
1« Invites Member States in whose territories illiteracy is still widespread to accord appropriate priority to the eradication of illiteracy
whithin their over-all development plans and, where they deem it necessary,
to establish national programmes for continuing education for adults, inclu ding governmental services to plan and execute such programmes;
2. Invites States Members of the United Nations and members of the
specialized agencies, and in particular those States in whose territories
mass illiteracy is no longer a major problem, to contribute technical and/or financial assistance., as appropriate, to national efforts for the era dication of illiteracy for the benefit of all in those countries where it is wide-spread;
3» Invites non-governmental organizations which are active or interes ted in the field of education to collaborate to the fullest possible extent in a world-wide action for the achievement of universal literacy as an essen tial element of social and economic progress in the United Nations Development Decade and thereafter;
h» Comraends the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization on its activities in connexion with the eradication of illite racy throughout the world and expresses the hope that it will pursue further its work in this field and continue to give due consideration to themethods of achieving this goal, including the planning, supervision and financing of pilot projects;
5» Invites the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the Director-
General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organi
sation, the Managing Director of the Special Fund, the Executive Chairman of the Technical Assistance Board and the President of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and its affiliates, to explore ways and means of supporting national efforts for the eradication of illiteracy through a world campaign and any other measures, if appropriate, of
international co-operation and assistance, both non-financial and financial,
and to submit a report thereon, together with appropriate" proposals, to the General Assembly at its nineteenth session..14/269
AnnexII PRIMARY"SCHOOLENROLMENTANDADULTILLITERACYINAFRICANCOUNTRIES CountrylearofNumberofstudents surveyinprimaryschools Algeria1960-61 Basutoland1961 Bechuanaland1960 Cameroon1961-62 Cent-Air.Repo1960-61 Chad1960-62 Congo(Brazzaville)1961-62 Conge(Leopoldville)1959--60 Dahomey1961-62 Ethiopia1960-61 Gabon1961-62 Gambia1961 Ghana1959 Guinea1961-62 IvoryCoaso1960-61 Kenya19SI Liberia1960Adjusted-schoolJ enrolmentratio 788,692 144,602 "■5,225 467,970 67,510 94,044 135,207 1,460.753 97,116 176,522 63,857 7,663 483,425 116,351 238,772 870,448 55,132
56;4 100,0 51,2 75,6 37,2 23,6(1) 100,0 71,5 33^7 4,5(2) 95,9 16,6 49,3 25.-7 50,0 28,3
Estimatedpercentof adultpopulationil« Ii"!eracyaround1950 X Ther.-.bioisobtain populationuas durationoft tincluding61
ror...
U)
h:olcre/or1:1ed by dividing trie total number of studenos enrolled by the estimated obtained by adjusting the eati.n.uted 5-14 year old population by c-^c-
-:>eprimary.schoolcoursefor-,achcr-ntry.o pupils (l?2 fsi,;ales) in ^ns..i ^cincr.t proti ^r^/o--,. -8) '" ' '"J" iJ^1C^^il C"(J t"-^1^ Scares ... piancv ,
80-85 45-50 75-80 90-95 60-65 95-99 92-95 77-81 75-80 00-95 ■din:?to^eavercrrc els
Country
Libya
Madagascar
Mali
Mauritania
Mauritius
Morocco
Niger
Nigeria
NorthernRhodesia
Nyasaland
SouthernRhodesia
RuandaUrundi
Senegal
SierraLeone
Sudan
Swaziland
Tanganyika
TogoTunisia
Uganda
UnionofS.Africa Yearof
survey
1959-60
1960-61
1959-60
1961-62
1961
1961-62
1961-62
1961
1961
1960
19611960-61
1961-62
1961-62
1961-62
1960
19601961-62
1961-62
1960
1958 Numberofstudentsinprimaryschools
159,569
450,105
54,540
15,000
117,591
950,389
24,281
2,806,000
304,828
286,839
493;491
263,639
126,000
91,895
332,100
34,435
450,636
116,243
483,837
532,918
2,386,425 Adjustedschoolenrolmentratio
78,1
56,411,0
100,0
62,95,6
45,562,5
51,4100,0(3)
36,4
28,121,3
14,066,2
24,7
53,474,5
54,0
e/cn.14/269
AnnexII,pago2Estimatedpercentofadultpopulationilliteracyaround1950
92-95
65-70
45-50
8S-90
85-90
75-80
90-95
75-80
90-95
92-95
80-85
90-95
90-95
80-85
70-75
55-60
(3)AfricanEducationonly.
CountryTearofNumberofstudents surveyinprimaryschoolsAdjustedschool enrolmentratio
e/cn.14/269
AnnoxII,pago3 Estimatedpercentof adultpopulationil literatearound19SO UnitedArabRep. Egypt1961-62 UpperVolta1961-62 ZanzibarandPemba19612,807,000(4) 73,477 20,556
69j4 13,4 33,4
75-80 90-95
