No changes in literacy in Venezuela since 2003

The Census 2011 numbers issued by the National Statistics Institute (INE) are generating reactions due to the number of illiterate people that the census recorded and after eradication of illiteracy was announced in 2005.

According to the Census, 4.9% of the Venezuelan population over 10 years is illiterate. This means that 1,101,706 people cannot write or read.

Mabel Mundó, a researcher of the Study Center for Development (Cendes), stated that since 2003, the Sampling Household Survey conducted by the INE indicated that the education missions were not changing the situation.

"Checking the record, it can be observed that the Household Survey of 2003 indicated 5.90% of illiteracy. Five years later, the illiteracy rate plunged to 5.50%. However, eight years after the implementation of the social programs for education, the illiteracy rate is 4.9% which means that this survey reflected limited changes in the illiteracy rate," she stated.

Mundó questioned that the government officers responsible for these programs did not take into account the numbers published every six months by the INE, in order to correct and accomplish the missions' objectives. "It is surprising that, despite their failures, the course of the missions has not changed."