Madagascar has seen little progress in literacy rates, according to figures shared yesterday during International Literacy Day. Nearly 76% of the population remains illiterate, according to official remarks made by the director general overseeing educational institutions at the Ministry of National Education during the official celebration held at the Andohatapenaka Development Council. During the same celebration in 2022, officials also stated that nearly 76% of the population could neither read nor write. "On one hand, the statistics are not really up to date. But it should also be noted that many children are enrolled in school, but when they drop out of primary school after one or two years of study, and when they don't return to school for several years, their skills deteriorate to zero and they are classified as illiterate," explains an official from the ministry. The southern part of the island records the highest illiteracy rate. "Faced with this situation, the Ministry of National Education has already undertaken several targeted actions in this region," says Serge Dieudonné Mamba, director of Non-Formal Education. Efforts have been deployed to establish literacy centers. These centers have animators dedicated to literacy, as well as administrative and pedagogical supervisors. Initiatives have also been undertaken at school level, specifically targeting parents of illiterate students.