Illiteracy rates decreased over the past ten years, with the 2005 Census figures showing the percentage of people aged 10 and over who cannot read and write standing at 7.2 per cent or 26,121 people, compared to 11.3 per cent or 36,444 people registered in the last Census in 1995.
Therefore the percentage of literate people in 2005 stood at 92.8 per cent or 336,255 people as against 88.7 per cent in or 286,284 people in the 1995 Census, an increase of 4.1 per cent or 49,971 people over the decade.
The 2005 Census confirms the trend noted in the previous Census that there are more literate men then women. In fact, the percentage of literate women stood at 93.7 per cent as against 91.7 per cent of men.
In 1995 the percentage of literate women stood 90.0 per cent as against 87.4 per cent of men, therefore there has been an increase of 3.7 per cent of literate women and 4.3 per cent of literate men in the decade.
The highest rate of literacy is found in the northern district (95.5%), followed by the northern harbour district (93.6%), the western district (93.4%), Gozo and Comino (93.2%), south-eastern district (92.0%), and finally, the southern harbour district (89.8%).
The percentage of literate people has increased across all age groups between the 2005 Census and the previous one held in 1995.
The highest rise is found in the 60-69 age bracket with 11.7 per cent, followed by the 80-89 bracket with an increase of 9.4 per cent.
The age group with the least percentage increase in literate people between the 2005 Census and the 1995 one was the 10-to-19-year old one, with an increase of only 1.4 per cent (1995: 96.9 per cent; 2005: 98.3 per cent). This is due to the fact there is compulsory schooling for children till they reach the age of 16 years, and a majority of young people are now choosing to pursue post-secondary and tertiary education.

czahra@mediatoday.com.mt

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NEWS | Wednesday, 15 August 2007

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