National Literacy Plan technical team coordinator Pedro Julio Castellanos says that according to estimates there are now only 150,000 illiterate people in the Dominican Republic. At the start of the Medina administration the plan was begun to reach out to an estimated 851,000 illiterate people over the age of 15. Castellanos said that the objective was to reduce the adult illiteracy rate from 13% to 5%.
The literacy plan has mobilized university, churches, business, unions, community boards and non-governmental organizations in a nationwide drive to teach people to read and write. Most people who have learned to read and write are women over the age of 60.
He says the final group of illiterates is more difficult to reach because it includes people who think it is too late, and that they cannot learn because of their age and other reasons. He said that one of the misconceptions illiterate people have is that they are dumb. “Illiterates are not dumb, they just haven’t had opportunities,” he said.
Castellanos said that after more than a year and a half the program has reached out to 80% of illiterate women, and the remainder are in the 70-year-old age range.
He explained that reaching out to men has been more challenging. The success rate is 60%, and the estimates are that the remaining 40% are less than 40% and most live in urban areas.
He appealed to anyone who knows someone who cannot read and write, to convince them to join the program. He said friends and family are more effective than TV ads or prompting by strangers.
The plan also offers the graduates of the literacy program the opportunity of continuing their studies with a special flexible basic learning program designed by the Ministry of Education. Infotep is also accepting the graduates in their technical training programs.
“If we get at least half to get a basic education and then and continue on to high school, this will be a very different country,” he said.
Castellanos was speaking on the Tu Derecho a Saber radio program on Rumba 98.5FM.
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