Top 10 Most Illiterate Countries in the World

Mauritania 60.1%

The illiteracy situation in Mauritania is very high, well below 50%. Back in the mid 80s, grown-up literacy percentage was projected to be in the middle of 18% and 25%. There are zero wide-ranging agenda to teach adults. In reality, going to school is made compulsory by law for all kids. It is also absolutely free. However, there are a lot of impediments. For underprivileged people, the price of food and other amenities forces children out of the educational facilities provided by the government. Lack of viable transportation going to school and back has become a huge challenge in the countryside. A lot of children never begin studying at all, and a great number drop out year after year. Secondary schools attendance is at 21%.

Ethiopia 61.3%

Five years ago, a study made by the World Bank revealed that the literacy rate in Ethiopia was at 29.82. The literacy rate is computed based on the number of people who have the ability to read and write even straightforward sentences used on everyday interactions. While Derg was in command, the literacy level in Ethiopia was high at 60%. The government back then had a strong literacy campaign which was implemented all over the country. Today, Ethiopia’s illiteracy rate is pegged at 61.3%, one of the highest in the entire planet. This despite claims that overseas non-government organizations have set up a lot of learning institutions and colleges in the country. Although the Ethiopian government is doing all it can to improve the educational system, however these developments are being implemented at a snail’s pace.

Benin at 62.5%

Even though the country is rich in natural resources which can potentially increase the country’s revenue, Benin is still one of the poorest countries in Africa. To top it all off, Benin also has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the continent and in the world at 62.5% of the entire country’s population. This means that the number left is the amount of people who can read and write are an illiterate portion of the total population.

Senegal with 62.7%

Over 50% of the entire Senegal adult population is illiterate. According to the latest survey, the illiteracy statistics here is at 62.7%. In spite of enormous investments in literacy programs for three straight decades, development is still sluggish. The speedy population escalation makes the job of educating everyone very difficult. Millions of children remain out of school.

Guinea-Bissau with 63.2%

Even though going to school is required from the age of 7 to 13 in Guinea-Bissau, because of rampant child labor, a considerable portion of the population do not know the fundamentals of reading and writing. Add to this the fact that Guinea-Bissau is still reeling from the civil unrest that occurred in 1999. A lot of internal conflicts has put out of place a third of the population, damaged a lot of schools, and prevented many children from going to school even for a year. There are growing numbers of uneducated people in this country because of poverty and lack of educational opportunities.

The Gambia with 63.5%

The Gambia government mandates free education for everyone. However, the implementation of this law has become a challenge due to deficiency in resources and learning infrastructure. Two decades ago, the enrolment rate was at 77.1%. This means that during those days, almost every 8 out of 10 people attend school. However, school fees and other expenses have prevented children from continuing their studies resulting to a high illiteracy rate for The Gambia.

Sierra Leone with 63.7%

The law requires children to attend school six years in the primary and 3 years in the secondary levels. However, the lack of teachers and schools has made its execution unworkable. Almost two thirds of the population is considered as uneducated people. The Civil War destroyed over a thousand primary schools. A decade ago, nearly 7 out of 10 children did not go to school. The educational dilemma is being fixed with back to school programs by the government. Today, school enrolment has doubled and new schools are being built to replace the ones destroyed by war. Primary education is absolutely free of charge and is made obligatory in public schools.

Afghanistan with 63.7%

Afghanistan ranks as the 3rd most illiterate nation in the world, and based on a study made by the National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment, the national literacy rate is at 63.7% with the men outnumbering the women in terms of illiteracy. Almost 75% of all Afghans live in rural areas and there, the literacy condition is worse, almost all women and 70% of men are considered illiterate.

Burkina Faso with 77.0%

Burkina Faso is at 2nd as having the most number of illiterate citizens. The country has a meager school enrollment percentage of only 39.1. Most of those who are incapable of reading and writing are adults. Because of this, the country is suffering from a severe deficiency of school teachers at the primary level. In the whole country, large classes, comprising more than a hundred pupils in a single classroom, exist. And stopping of classes for whatever reason is quite common. The uneducated individuals here become a common pattern because of several factors that have been stated.

Niger with 84.3%

Niger is at number one among the nations with high illiteracy rates. More than 80% of the country’s adult population is considered unable to read and write as the result of illiteracy statistics. Although primary education is made compulsory in Niger for six years, school attendance and enrollment has remained low especially with women. Child labor prevents children from going to school.