By:
• Cambodianess

• October 30, 2024 , 6:15 PM

PHNOM PENH – Cambodia ranks lowest among Southeast Asian countries, with a population literacy rate of 84 percent, according to the World Population Review’s 2024 Literacy Rate by country.

It says the ability to read and write is arguably the most critical factor in determining a person's career. The report says factors affecting literacy include poverty, which often undermines access to education in poor areas.

The report, which uses data from 184 countries, ranks Cambodia above Timor Leste at 68.1 percent. Literacy among Cambodian males is 88.4 percent and for females is 79.8 percent.

Of the rest of the Southeast Asian countries, Brunei was ranked highest, with a literacy rate of 97.6 percent, followed by Singapore at 97.5 percent, the Philippines at 96.3 percent, Indonesia at 96 percent, Vietnam at 95.8 percent, Malaysia at 95 percent, Thailand at 94.1 percent, Myanmar at 89.1 percent, and Laos at 88.

The report shows only 13 countries with a 100 percent literacy rate. Ukraine tops the rankings, followed by Uzbekistan and North Korea. 

Many of the poorest nations are in South Asia, West Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, where literacy challenges are most severe. In contrast, developed nations enjoy much higher literacy rates and tend to have smaller gender gaps, showing the progress that can be made.

UNESCO reports that more than 754 million adults worldwide remain illiterate, with women accounting for two-thirds of this number. Another 250 million children are not developing essential literacy skills.