A call to Muslim countries to wage a war against illiteracy

The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) called upon the Muslim world to step up efforts for the eradication of illiteracy and urged member countries as well as Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to attach greater importance to programs geared towards the eradication of illiteracy amidst all social strata.

In a communique released on the occasion of the International Literacy Day, celebrated annually on September 8, ISESCO emphasized the necessity to undertake jointly the implementation of the "Special Islamic Program for Literacy and Basic Training." The program was adopted following by the Extraordinary General Conference of the Islamic Organisation, held in Thailand in 1990.

The Islamic Organisation appealed to member states to intensify efforts in eradicating illiteracy, which was described by the ISESCO as a stumbling block hindering development and the implementation of economic and social plans aimed at engendering growth in various areas.

The illiteracy rate in the Muslim world ranged between 45 percent and 60 percent, representing over half the Muslim population world-wide. Such a high rate, ISESCO argued, was at the origin of a set of social and economic problems that crippled the development process in countries of the Muslim world.