UNESCO - EFA Global Monitoring Report

Box 2.11. Interpreting the literacy goal

The goal set out in the Dakar Framework for Action of improving the literacy rates (LR) by 50%, means that in the case of countries where LR2000 exceeds 66.7%, achievement of the goal would seem to require an LR2015 of more than 100%. Thus, the target should be defined as requiring an increase of 50% for countries where LR2000 is > 66.7%. However, in countries where LR2000 is > 66.7%, the target would be set at LR2015 = 100%. The Jomtien formulation of the corresponding goal was: Reduction of the adult illiteracy rate (the appropriate age group to be determined in each country) to, say, one-half its 1990 level by the year 2000.... This is not the same as increasing literacy rates by 50%. The Jomtien formulation was less ambiguous than its successor, because the target was equally relevant for all countries. Nevertheless, it implied the need for much greater efforts by the countries with the greatest proportions of illiterates among their populations. This unfortunate implication was successfully amended by the Dakar formulation of the goal.

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