Level of female literacy on the rise

ANOTHER possible bench mark of women’s progress is the level of female literacy and secondary school enrolment. Improved access to education will enable women to obtain higher paying jobs and assume positions of greater responsibility. Further down the road, women will be better positioned to improve their economic and political clout.  

In terms of literacy, women in Asia-Pacific countries have achieved near parity with men. Female literacy rates in the five major Asean countries range between a high of 99.8% for Singapore and a very respectable low of 97.6% for Indonesia.