ARAB NEWS: DUBAI: A report on knowledge, released at the Arab Strategy Forum on Wednesday, warned of large-scale illiteracy in the Arab world.
Despite the fact that the region had spent five percent of its gross domestic product and 20 percent of its national budget on education one third of its adult population, (60 million people), remain illiterate -- two thirds of them women.
According to the report this situation will worsen in the future because 9 million children of primary school age are out of school. The report sought urgent action to remedy the problem.
The report highlighted the many obstacles to development focusing mainly on the fact that knowledge doesn't reach all levels of society, in particular the disadvantaged groups.
At the same time education at university level is not necessarily on par with advanced nations which is one of the main obstacles as it creates a critical mass of highly-skilled human capital capable of innovation, creativity and renewal, and essential to development. >>> Shadiah Abdullah | Thursday, October 29, 2009
