Participation rate of illiterate youth/adults in literacy programmes

Definition

SDG Indicator 4.6.3: Number of youth (aged 15-24 years) and adults (aged 15 years and older) participating in literacy programmes expressed as a percentage of the illiterate population of the same age.

Data source

Administrative or household data on participation in literacy programmes for the age groups defined, combined with illiterate population estimates for the same age groups

The Technical Cooperation Group on the Indicators for SDG 4 - Education 2030 (TCG) has recommended a set of survey questions to collect data for SDG indicators 4.3.1, 4.3.3 and 4.6.3 (see http://tcg.uis.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2019/01/TCG5-REF-4-...)..

Source definition

UNESCO Institute for Statistics.

Calculation method

Percentage of the number of illiterate persons in the relevant age group participating in literacy programmes out of the illiterate population of the same age.

Data required

Number of participants in the relevant age group in literacy programmes; illiterate population estimates for the same age groups.

Interpretation

A high rate denotes a high degree of coverage of the illiterate population by the programmes designed to reach that specific group. The theoretical maximum value is 100%.

Increasing trends can be considered as reflecting improved coverage by the literate programmes of their target population.

Limitations

Practices for identifying illiterates from administrative sources, household surveys, actual census enumerations or population estimates may vary, hence, the indicator values must be analysed with caution and together with other indicators reflecting the literacy situation of the population.

The theoretical maximum value of 100% is under the assumption that literate population will not enrol or attend literacy programmes.

The degree of coverage of the illiterate population measured by this indicator might be underestimated because of the exclusion of illiterate population, especially youth illiterates, that have decided to attend primary education programmes instead of specifically-designed literacy programmes.

When numerator and denominator are taken from household surveys, special attention should be given to the estimations' standard errors mainly in countries with very high levels of literacy where the sample sizes and design might not be appropriate for producing the indicator. When numerator and denominator are taken from different data sources (e.g. administrative data, household surveys, or population estimates), there will be possibilities of inconsistencies.

Purpose

To show the level of participation of illiterate youth and adults in literacy programmes.

Quality standards

The indicator for each age group should be based on consistent and comprehensive data on illiterate populations participating in literacy programmes in the country, whether these programmes are formal or non-formal.

Types of disaggregation

By age, sex, location, and income (depending on the data source) and others as available.