The journey of literacy in the Sultanate of Oman
Literacy has been a key objective of the Government of the Sultanate of Oman, so
since the beginning of the blessed Renaissance in 1970, there were the adult
literacy alongside the spread of education among young people. Literacy activity
began in the academic year 73 /74 At the beginning of this activity, the
duration of the study was two semesters; at the end student awarded a
certificate granted freedom from illiteracy, which is equivalent to the level of
success in the fourth grade (formal education). Free from illiteracy, he can
join adult education classes, which held in the afternoon because it fits with
the living conditions of students who are present in the morning in their work.
In the academic year 2005/2006 the schools extend the literacy phase from two to
three years before joining the seventh grade in public education in educational
centers devoted to adult education. The illiteracy rate in Oman is 9,1% in the
age group from 15 to 45 years, according to final statistics for the Census of
Population and Housing Censuses conducted in 2003,The most recent indicators are
not final yet; indicate that the rate of illiteracy by the end of 2006 is
expected to decline to 7.2% for the same age group, which is moderate compared
with living conditions similar to the circumstances of the Sultanate.
Literacy curriculum:
Plan of the current study in literacy extends to three years of study and
consists of (7.5) months. For the first academic year, the plan consists of (15)
study lessons per week for males and (16) for females (including the classes of
family education that is taught to females only). As for the second year it is
(18) lessons per week for males and (19) lessons for females. The school plan
for the third year consists of (25) periods per week for all students, male and
female and the lessons time (40) minutes. Literacy classes, first and second
grades has four core subjects, a book allocated for every subject, as for the
third grade literacy learners study six subjects .
Qualitative expansion in literacy programs:
Next to the open classes for students in literacy centers, the ministry
introduced a number of teaching programs for literacy of certain social
segments, but that, whatever the social strata that have been targeted for
literacy, has been freed from illiteracy, to be provided with a set of books
carried the name of the adult library, the books varied in different areas of
education aimed at stimulating freed from illiteracy to continue reading habit.
Special programs for the women education:
This was done in collaboration between the Ministries of Education and Social
Affairs and Labor and Vocational Training (previously), and specifically
(National Program for the development of local communities - and women's
associations) in order to provide places of study and preparation of illiterates
in the villages away from schools and, in particular, nomadic areas and aims at
Women's Education.
Next to reading and writing she learns everything about her life as a girl, a
wife, a housewife and is reflected in the famous crafts in the surroundings such
as sewing, embroidery and palm tree leaves crafts, cooking, and housekeeping.
Fruits of the efforts of literacy:
From the above we can say that the activity of literacy in the Sultanate could
also be expanded to reach all regions of the Sultanate, as it was able to
develop the quality and quantity through various programs that have been applied
and materials that have been taught, since the Ministry of Education has spared
no effort in mobilizing the energies and harness potential through the
integration of efforts and experience in coordination with relevant parties
where there are many achievements, which gave the march literacy momentum
forward to the quantity and quality. The best evidence of this is award won by
Sultanate of cultural literacy among Arab countries in 1997 which is a trophy of
the Arab Organization for Education, Culture and Science and a certificate of
appreciation and a cash prize in recognition of outstanding effort of the
Sultanate of Oman in the field of literacy and adult education.
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