Hsu / Myo Gyi (NSS) – Sep 20

Vice-Senior General Soe Win remarked that terrorist acts occurring in certain townships and border areas of the country are the consequences of approximately 4.1 million individuals aged 15 and above who are illiterate.

Vice-Senior General Soe Win addressed it during the coordination meeting on the literacy campaign launched for the people from rural regions and ethnic areas took place at the State Administration Council Chairman Office in Naypyidaw. 

He continued saying that only when the people are literate, will they have adequate knowledge to analyze the persuasion of others.

The terrorist acts happening in some townships and border areas of the country depend on consequences of 4.1 million illiterates above 15 years old people according to the 2019 interim census, he added.

He also mentioned that Myanmar’s literary rate plummeted up to 35% during colonial era.

Following independence, Myanmar's literacy rate, as per the 1973 Census, was 66.9 percent. In the 1983 Census, it increased to 76.6 percent, and in the 2014 Census, it reached 89.5 percent. The 2019 interim census recorded a literacy rate of 89.1 percent respectively.

He went on to say that, based on the 2014 national census, there were approximately 2.7 million children who had not completed primary education. Additionally, it was reported that there were about 3.55 million illiterate people aged 15 and above.

He also added that the 2019 interim census revealed that there were approximately 4.1 million illiterates aged 15 and above in respective State and Region, females outnumber males in being illiterates.