The Road To Literacy: An Assessment of Some Aspects of the Ethiopian National Literacy Campaign

Abstract

111 spite of Ihe official report that the national illiteracy rate has been reduced to less than 25%, it is argued here that illiteracy oj quite a considerable size will Last longer becallse of (a) the way the National Literacy CamjJ(J(r;n (NLC) has been conceptualized and operalionalized, (b) (he non-literate cnvironment, (c) dejiciencies oJthe schools, alld (d) the
prcvailing national conditiolls, rendering illiteracy a less urgent alld less Fisible problem. A change ill poliLy to a pre~'eJltive approach is recommended.