Doha - Qatar has announced the decision to launch its "Mauritania-model Project" to combat illiteracy in Sudan and Mali.
Mohammed Al Kaabi, Director, H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned Project, announced the decision in the presence of Sheikha Mozah at the concluding session of the regional conference on `Literacy challenges in the Arab region', yesterday.
The announcement was hailed by the gathering with a thunderous applause. The delegates from Sudan and Mali shared their joy over Qatar's support to fight out the burgeoning illiteracy rate in their respective countries.
Ravaged by prolonged civil wars, Sudan has the largest internally displaced population in the world, mostly from southern Sudan. The war has aggravated the isolation of the southern part of the country that has long been one of the most backward and underdeveloped areas in Africa. The area has a phenomenal toll in terms of unchecked ignorance, disease, poverty, suffering and high mortality rates.
Hailing Qatar's decision, Kuol Atem Bol, Director of Alternative Education systems, Southern Sudan, told The Peninsula: "The two decades for civil war in Sudan has claimed over 1.5 million lives and displaced an estimated four million people. The education system in Southern Sudan has been adversely affected by the two decades of civil war and depicting one of the worst illiteracy rate indicators in the world. It's really appreciative", he said.
About 2.5 million over aged children, youth and adults missed their basic education leading the illiteracy rate of South Sudan 85 per cent, while the overall rate of Sudan is 57 per cent.
"In Sudan, education was frequently interrupted by wars. Accessibility to education, retention and quality education were difficult to be achieved. The gross enrolment rate in Southern Sudan is hardly 22 per cent. Only 20 per cent of teachers have attained formal training. Female teachers comprise only 7 per cent of the total teacher population.", Atem Bol said.
© The Peninsula 2007
