Functional literacy rate (7+yrs) now 62.92%: BBS

The functional literacy rate (7+ years) in the country is now 62.92 per cent whereas the general literacy rate in the country is 74.23 per cent.

The functional literacy rate among people aged between 11-45 years in the country is, however, 73.69 per cent in 2023 which was 53.70 per cent in 2011.

Such functional literacy rate among the population aged between 7-14 years is now 72.97 per cent which is, however, 60.77 per cent among the population aged 15 years and above.

These were revealed at a report publishing ceremony of the "Literacy Assessment Survey (LAS) to Monitor Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Project" held at the auditorium of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) on Monday.

The BBS earlier conducted such a survey in 2008 on a pilot basis and then again on a wider scale in 2011. This was the 3rd time the BBS conducted such LAS.

According to the survey conducted from March 1, 2020, to March 2023, the functional literacy rate in the country between 7-14 years of age is 72.97 per cent which is, however, 60.77 per cent among the people aged 15 years and above.

The functional literacy rate among the male, female and transgender (Hijra) communities aged 7 years and above is 62.92 per cent. The functional literacy rate aged between 11 years and 45 years is now 60.77 per cent which was 53.70 per cent in 2011.

Planning Minister MA Mannan spoke at the report publishing ceremony as the chief guest while Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Dr Shahnaz Arefin, and additional director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Dr Uttam Kumar Das spoke as the special guests presided over by Director General of the BBS Md Motiar Rahman.

Deputy director general of the BBS Porimal Chandra Basu gave the address of welcome while LAS project director Mostafa Ashrafuzzaman made a power-point presentation on the findings of the survey.

Speaking on the occasion as the chief guest, Mannan said that in his term as the planning minister, he has found significant positive changes in the operations of the Statistics and Informatics Division (SID) as the BBS under it has been able to deliver data and statistics maintaining timeliness and maintaining due quality. "But, more needs to be done."

Citing the survey findings, he said that the trend of girls' education has increased in the country over the years due to the various time-befitting steps of the government.

The planning minister also suggested disseminating the survey findings to all the deputy commissioners, police supers, UNOs, and upazila parishad chairmen to have a better understanding as well as to conduct such survey every five years.

Statistics and Informatics Division Secretary Dr Shahnaz Arefin said that if the LAS could be conducted every five years, then it would be possible to deliver such vital statistics to the policymakers for framing time-befitting policies.

Mentioning that the BBS always tries to project accurate data promptly, she said adding that their such efforts would continue in the future also.

The latest survey findings showed that the functional literacy rate among males aged between 11-45 years is 74.10 per cent which was 56.90 per cent in 2011. The functional literacy rate among females aged between 11-45 years in 2023 is 73.25 per cent which was 50.20 per cent in 2011.

The functional literacy rate among the rural people aged between 11-45 years in 2023 is 70.54 per cent which was 50.60 per cent in 2011. The functional literacy rate among the urban people in the same aged group people in 2023 is 80.35 per cent which was 65.60 per cent in 2011.

The latest survey findings also showed that among the 11-45 age group people, the percentage of people having no literacy is 16.08 per cent, those having slight literacy is 10.22 per cent, those having an initial level of literacy is 20.66 per cent and those having a higher level of literacy is 53.03 per cent.

To determine the functional literacy rate, each of the sample or individuals had to give an examination of 100 marks and the literacy rate was determined to have minimum of 50 marks.

/KN/