Literacy in Lao

I wanted to share an excerpt with you from a booklet on Laos I've been reading....

In 2007 a researcher evaluated a group of Lao women who had completed 8 years of education at village schools and left school literate at the age of 15. By the age of 25, the majority had forgotten how to write and failed simple literacy tests.

Why? Is it hard to be a good reader when there isn't much to read.

33% of the total population of Laos aged 15+ is illiterate. Women are twice as likely to be illiterate as men. Adults see literacy as occasionally useful in completing forms or reading basic instructions, but often feel that one person in the household is enough to complete these requirements. Some books and reading materials are published in Vientiane, but it is a very small industry and most printing is done in English or French, not Lao. Attempts to translate books for adults have faltered because of the expense of buying a book and because reading is not a habit for most adult Lao. Most people in Lao learn their trades and life-skills verbally from their elders, not from reading.

Adult literacy campaigns in Laos have not been very successful so far. Adults can be encouraged to learn to read, but within a couple of years of a village literacy campaign most of those who were literate have difficulty reading, and within five years half have totally forgotten to read.

Like I mentioned before, I read this the other day in a "thought" booklet I got on Laos. It offers a variety of stories and information on Laos and how to better lift up the country and her people. I found this one to be particularly interesting (because of my role as an educator here) and suprising (because most of my interaction has been with literate Lao people - from working in the university). Literacy is a key to the development of Laos as a country and to the growth of the Father's family here as well.

This snippet has given me something specific to take before the Father as I seek to know more about His heart for the people of Lao. I hope it will help you too as you join me in this journey through intercession.