About 250,000 people annually join the 5 million illiterate people in Sanaa alone. The 1996-2000 plan envisaged eradicating illiteracy among 1,610,200 persons. This plan was abandoned two years later for failing to achieve any of its goals. The eradication of illiteracy curricula must be modernized, considerably more resources should be allocated, programs to eradicate illiteracy at the workplace must be implemented, school truancy must be controlled and public awareness should be raised. The President discusses bilateral relations and Middle East peace process with visiting German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Officials deny intention to form a new government.
Due to delay of rainfall, the President calls on the people to perform prayers for rain after the regular Friday prayers. 4- Council of Ministers ratifies amendments to diplomatic corps law. 5- Ministry of Transportation studies plans for 3 new ports in Shabwa, Hadhramaut and Mahara. No normalization with Israel before achieving full peace and the return of all occupied Arab lands. The first step to reform the education system was already made by the Minister of Education by conducting comprehensive surveys to diagnose the maladies and establish essential databases.