What factors influence world literacy? Is Africa different?
By: Dorte Verner.
Contributors: World Bank.
Series: Policy research working paper ;; 3496; Policy research working papers (Online) ;; 3496.
Publisher: World Bank
Published: 2005
Place of publication: [Washington, D.C
Language: eng
Format: Electronic resource
Subjects: Literacy -- Africa -- Case studies.
Genres: Case studies.
Description: "Ninety-five percent of the world's illiterate people live in developing countries, and about 70 percent are women.  Female illiteracy rates are particularly high in Sub-Saharan Africa.  In Niger and Burkina Faso, for example, more than 90 percent of women are illiterate.  This paper presents a model of literacy.  It shows that the main determinants of worldwide literacy are enrollment rates, average years of schooling of adults, and life expectancy at birth.  Income has a weak nonlinear effect, negatively affecting literacy until a threshold level of per-capita income of about $2,200 a year is reached and positively affecting literacy thereafter.  Finally, African countries do not have a significantly higher literacy rate when controlling for other factors.  This paper--a product of the Social Development Family, Latin America and the Caribbean Region--is part of a larger effort in the Bank to reduce poverty and social exclusion"--World Bank web site.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references.
Title from PDF file as viewed on 1/24/2005.
Also available in print.
System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Mode of access: World Wide Web.