RAMALLAH: Palestine witnessed a dramatic decline in illiteracy rates over the past two decades, with a reduction of 85 percent, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS).

According to the latest data, illiteracy rates in Palestine are among the lowest globally, standing at 2.1% for individuals aged 15 and above in 2023. This contrasts with an illiteracy rate of 3.6% for the same age group among Palestinians in the 1948-occupied territories in 2017, as reported by the Galilee Society.

The data highlights a substantial decline in illiteracy rates since 1997. The illiteracy rate among Palestinians aged 15 and above fell from 13.9% in 1997 to 2.1% in 2023. This downward trend is evident for both genders, with the illiteracy rate among males dropping from 7.8% in 1997 to 1.1% in 2023. For females, the rate decreased from 20.3% to 3.2% over the same period.

Regionally, the illiteracy rate in the West Bank decreased from 14.1% in 1997 to 3.2% in 2023, while in the Gaza Strip it fell from 13
.7% to 1.9% over the same timeframe.

Illiteracy rates by age and area

The PCBS report indicates that the highest illiteracy rate is found among individuals aged 65 and above, with a rate of 20.4% in 2023. In contrast, the illiteracy rate for those aged 30-44 is the lowest at 0.7%, and the rate for individuals aged 15-29 is 0.8% for the same year. The illiteracy rate for those aged 45-64 stands at 2.2%.

In terms of geographical distribution, rural areas have the highest illiteracy rate at 2.6%, followed by refugee camps at 2.4%, and urban areas at 2.0% in 2023.

Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA