--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "sparaig" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@> 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. > > > > Barry likes to, er, simplify things to make his > > putdowns, and he's never been too careful about his > > facts, but the basic point, that Iraq has lost ground > > with regard to literacy after having made considerable > > progress under Saddam, is valid. > > > > Well,I'm not sure how much was due to Saddam, anyway. He took power > in the late 70's and attempted to invade Iran in 1980, and the > country was at war or suffering the aftermath of a war, ever since.
True, but under Saddam women had the right to get an education. A lot of the literacy gain occurred among women. ------------------------ 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/
