The Encuesta de Gastos e Ingresos de los Hogares, a national survey on household income and expenditures, indicates that average illiteracy in the DR was at 15.5% in 1998. The illiteracy rate of heads of households is at 15.8%, down from 23.2% in 1984. The study covered 4,810 households, from October 1997 to September 1998. The survey was carried out by the Department of National Accounts and Economic Statistics of the Central Bank carried it out with the assistance of the World Labor Organization, the CEPAL, the Program for Development of the United Nations, local and foreign institutions. The study showed that while in 1984, 59.6% of Dominicans had grade school education levels, by 1998, this had declined to 55.2%. The survey showed, nevertheless increases in the number of Dominicans reaching high school levels, which went from 11.4% in 1984 to 18.2% in 1998, and university levels, with 5.8% in 1984 and 10.8% in 1998. 55.8% of Dominicans had grade school level education, 16.9% a high school education, and 7% university level education. 20.3% of Dominicans had no education at all. The study also revealed that 61% of those that cannot read or write are 10 years or less years of age.
