Education Minister, Dr. Majid bin Ali Al-Nuaimi, has stressed that Bahrain’s efforts to provide continuous and adult education have contributed to reducing the illiteracy rate to about 2 %, as proven by Education for All Report issued by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which is among the lowest at the international level.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Education is currently focusing on eradicating electronic illiteracy by providing a variety of continuous courses in the skills related to using the computer and digital technology.
In a statement marking the International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on 8 September, Dr. Al-Nuaimi affirmed that adult education emanates from the kingdom’s constitutional fundamentals, which made education a right for everyone, noting that Article (9) of Law 27/2005 on Education stipulates that “Literacy and adult education are a national responsibility aimed at raising the level of the citizens culturally, socially, and professionally, and the Education Ministry shall implement the necessary plans to eradicate illiteracy.”
He indicated that the Ministry has made tremendous efforts to ensure educational services for all, as part of the kingdom’s commitment to achieving the goals of “Education for All” adopted by UNESCO, including meeting the educational needs of youth and adults, while improving the literacy level of adults, and achieving gender parity and equality.
He added that the Continuous Education Directorate at the Ministry of Education provides educational services for adult men and women, through the evening education centres, distributed across the kingdom’s governorates.
He also highlighted the Education Ministry’s efforts to eradicate electronic and information illiteracy, through introducing programmes related to the computer and digital technology skills at the evening education centres, as part of its plans to consolidate the “lifelong learning” principle.