News & Event

The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Education, celebrates with the rest of the Arab countries the “Arab Literacy Day,” which falls on January 8 of each year. This year’s celebration comes under the slogan: “Smart Learning for an Illiteracy-Free Tomorrow.”

Within the framework of the unlimited support provided by the wise government led by Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to the education sector in all its categories, the Ministry of Education has taken upon itself the responsibility of spreading education to include all segments of society. The Ministry has devoted great attention to the elderly and those who have not had the opportunity to receive education, by strengthening the education system and providing all the capabilities that enable them to enroll in studies through literacy classes that have been opened in various governorates, and providing programs and projects concerned with literacy, including the project: "The Educated Village", the latest of which was the Educated Village in Jabal Al Akhdar, which included (14) sections. The Ministry also targeted the illiterate in the islands and coastal villages through projects such as: literacy for the residents of Masirah Island in South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, the Al Hallaniyat Islands in Dhofar Governorate, and the villages of Kumzar and Lima in Musandam Governorate, in addition to the literacy project for people with disabilities, such as: teaching the blind using Braille at Omar bin Al Khattab Institute, and adult education for people with hearing disabilities.

These efforts have resulted in a significant decrease in the illiteracy rate in 2023, where it reached, according to the latest data from the National Center for Statistics and Information, (0.54%) among the age group (15-44 years) of the total population, and among Omanis in the same category (0.58%), which reflects the continuous efforts made by the Ministry to achieve a vision free of illiteracy. The number of literacy classes in the academic year 2024/2025 reached (230) classes distributed across all governorates, including about (2340) students. (79) cooperating schools contributed to providing the necessary support through supervision, equipment and teacher training which enhanced the role of the school in serving the community and contributing to eliminating illiteracy. In this context, the Ministry of Education stresses that the issue of illiteracy is a national and societal responsibility that requires everyone's cooperation. Hence, the Ministry calls on all members of society to contribute to reducing illiteracy rates and supporting the efforts made to completely eliminate it.

Dr. Thuraya Al Rashidi, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Special Education and Continuous Learning, said: “On this occasion, the Sultanate of Oman celebrates with Arab countries the Arab Literacy Day, emphasizing the importance of education as a main pillar for achieving the goals of sustainable development. This participation embodies the Sultanate of Oman’s commitment to its efforts to combat illiteracy in all its forms, based on its firm belief that education is not only a basic right, but a necessity for achieving comprehensive development.”

The Director-General stressed that the Ministry of Education continues to implement development projects that support lifelong learning to advance the literacy process, and has been keen since the launch of these programs to keep pace with rapid global developments and transformations in the fields of knowledge and technology, by updating curricula, developing teaching methods, improving educational tools, and organizing purposeful educational activities, in line with the strategic objectives of spreading comprehensive education and building an aware society. On this occasion, she explained that the Ministry of Education calls on everyone to benefit from the educational opportunities available to this category, and calls on young people, intellectuals, teachers, and various institutions to contribute to supporting literacy programs, as it is a national and social responsibility.

She concluded her speech by expressing her appreciation to Arab and International organizations for their efforts in eliminating illiteracy and spreading culture and knowledge. She extended her thanks to those working in the education sector for their dedication and loyalty, and to the ministries and government institutions that support the Ministry’s efforts, wishing our beloved country further prosperity and progress under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq.