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Literacy

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Written by: Luca Krohn , Philip Eichkorn and Michaela Eckmüller Last updated at: May 21, 2025

That the topic education is given such high importance that nearly a quarter of the civil expenditures of the state budget flows into the education system was not always the case in Oman. Until 1970, there were only Quran schools in the country, primarily focused on imparting religious values, as well as three public schools. These were boys' primary schools, with one located in Muscat , in Mutrah and in Salalah . In the entire country, only 909 students were taught by around 30 teachers. It was only in the following years that a school system was established, which is provided free of charge to the people of Oman and certainly stands out in terms of its quality in the Arab world. However, the generations who did not benefit from a good school system were not forgotten in the design of education policy.

Illiteracy – a problem of the older generation

Due to the growth of the education system in Oman, the gap in education between young and old naturally widened. But Sultan Qaboos has also established a good adult education system alongside the increasingly better school system. There are now around 250 adult education centers and over 180 literacy centers open to every adult citizen of Oman. Here, anyone who wishes can be taught in reading and writing in Arabic as well as in various other educational programs.

Literacy is advancing in all parts of the country

While people in cities have been quickly and effectively integrated into the education system in recent decades, such developments are progressing more slowly in the rural areas. Since Oman is a vast country, with some parts only very sparsely populated, creating educational opportunities in these areas can often be challenging. Nevertheless, it has been possible to reach the desert regions , smaller villages, and towns in oases or on the edge of the deserts and promote literacy here. Especially older women extensively and gladly take advantage of the opportunities for adult education in the country, as they had very few chances in the past to learn to read and write.

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Philip Eichkorn

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