--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, a_non_moose_ff <no_reply@> > wrote: > > > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <no_reply@> > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I'm not terribly interested in Jason's latest India- > > > > bash, but since he's brought up the category of > > > > "Strange and interesting facts about literacy," what > > > > country on the planet, in 1990, had the *highest* > > > > percentage of literacy among its population on the > > > > planet? Hint: the same country, today, has one of > > > > the lowest percentages of literacy. > > > > > > > > You guessed it...Iraq. From the most literate nation > > > > on the planet under Saddam Hussein pre-GWI > > > > Just curious. So the literacy rate went from the high 90s to maybe > > low 40's or 50's in 15 or so years? Normal death rates are less > > than 1% a year in "literate" countries -- so if ALL formal and > > informal education stopped immediately (a hard assertion to > > swallow), one might reasonably estimate the literacy rate fell to > > low 80's. > > > > So, what happened to all those other 30-40% "reading and writin' > > Iraquis"? Did the US invaders shoot them all? Or did they hook the > > readers up to a giant brain vacuum and suck the literacy skills > > right out of them? Has Art Bell or the National Inquirer got their > > hands on this scoop yet? > > I'm not sure exactly how a literacy rate is arrived at > on a practical basis, especially in a country as > unsettled as Iraq is now, but UNESCO and other official > figures do show a significant drop. > > If the high figures came from Saddam's government, it's > possible they were exaggerated. > > However, almost 50 percent of Iraq's population is under > 15 years old. That means half its people were educated > under the sanctions regime, which really did cripple its > educational system (among others). Plus which, there > has been a huge exodus from Iraq of educated families > in recent years.
Good points. I was assuming post high school literacy rates -- which is how Ihave seen them reported before, and a fairly stable population. Literacy rates, aged 15-24, both sexes, per cent (UNESCO) [MDG] 41.0 Iraq Literacy rates, aged 15-24, women, per cent (UNESCO) 24.9 Iraq Literacy rates, aged 15-24, men, per cent (UNESCO) 56.4 But in 1990, for 15-24 year olds, the literacy rate was quite low. Hardly the highest in the world. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/mi_results.asp?crID=368&fID=r15 15 years and above 1990 1998 %ch Total 62.9 75.5 12.6 Female 53.1 69.2 16.1 Male 71.9 81.6 9.7 http://www.accu.or.jp/litdbase/efa/cs_irn.htm Actually the literacy rate was pretty low in 1990 for 15 yr olds and above, but did increase 12% after the first gulf war,and sanctons, through 1998. Still, 75% is modest compared to Europe, Americas etc. So where Barry got that Iraq was #1 in 1990 is um "baffling." And assuming the rate through to the second gulf war was equal or greater than the 1998 level, its hard to believe it fell 30-40% in 2-3 years -- even given the factors you cite. It appears Barry is, as often is the case, full of merde. > Barry likes to, er, simplify things to make his > putdowns, and he's never been too careful about his > facts, Yes, why stick with pesky facts and logic when you can make fantastic, fabulous and clever sounding witicisms! ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/UlWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/