--- In [email protected], "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> --- In [email protected], a_non_moose_ff <no_reply@>
> wrote:
> >
> > > --- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <no_reply@>
> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I'm not terribly interested in Jason's latest India-
> > > > bash, but since he's brought up the category of
> > > > "Strange and interesting facts about literacy," what
> > > > country on the planet, in 1990, had the *highest*
> > > > percentage of literacy among its population on the
> > > > planet? Hint: the same country, today, has one of
> > > > the lowest percentages of literacy.
> > > >
> > > > You guessed it...Iraq. From the most literate nation
> > > > on the planet under Saddam Hussein pre-GWI
> >
> > Just curious. So the literacy rate went from the high 90s to maybe
> > low 40's or 50's in 15 or so years? Normal death rates are less
> > than 1% a year in "literate" countries -- so if ALL formal and
> > informal education stopped immediately (a hard assertion to
> > swallow), one might reasonably estimate the literacy rate fell to
> > low 80's.
> >
> > So, what happened to all those other 30-40% "reading and writin'
> > Iraquis"? Did the US invaders shoot them all? Or did they hook the
> > readers up to a giant brain vacuum and suck the literacy skills
> > right out of them? Has Art Bell or the National Inquirer got their
> > hands on this scoop yet?
>
> I'm not sure exactly how a literacy rate is arrived at
> on a practical basis, especially in a country as
> unsettled as Iraq is now, but UNESCO and other official
> figures do show a significant drop.
>
> If the high figures came from Saddam's government, it's
> possible they were exaggerated.
>
> However, almost 50 percent of Iraq's population is under
> 15 years old. That means half its people were educated
> under the sanctions regime, which really did cripple its
> educational system (among others). Plus which, there
> has been a huge exodus from Iraq of educated families
> in recent years.
Good points. I was assuming post high school literacy rates -- which
is how Ihave seen them reported before, and a fairly stable population.
Literacy rates, aged 15-24, both sexes, per cent (UNESCO)
[MDG] 41.0
Iraq Literacy rates, aged 15-24, women,
per cent (UNESCO) 24.9
Iraq Literacy rates, aged 15-24, men, per cent (UNESCO) 56.4
But in 1990, for 15-24 year olds, the literacy rate was quite low.
Hardly the highest in the world.
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/mi_results.asp?crID=368&fID=r15
15 years and above
1990 1998 %ch
Total 62.9 75.5 12.6
Female 53.1 69.2 16.1
Male 71.9 81.6 9.7
http://www.accu.or.jp/litdbase/efa/cs_irn.htm
Actually the literacy rate was pretty low in 1990 for 15 yr olds and
above, but did increase 12% after the first gulf war,and sanctons,
through 1998. Still, 75% is modest compared to Europe, Americas etc.
So where Barry got that Iraq was #1 in 1990 is um "baffling." And
assuming the rate through to the second gulf war was equal or greater
than the 1998 level, its hard to believe it fell 30-40% in 2-3 years
-- even given the factors you cite.
It appears Barry is, as often is the case, full of merde.
> Barry likes to, er, simplify things to make his
> putdowns, and he's never been too careful about his
> facts,
Yes, why stick with pesky facts and logic when you can make fantastic,
fabulous and clever sounding witicisms!
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