An Analysis of Key Aspects of the Illiterate Ecuadorian Population Aged 15 Years and Older

This article aims to provide an analysis of several aspects that comprise the profile of the Ecuadorian population aged 15 years old and over who do not know how to read and write. The approach, employed in this research study, focuses on a descriptive analysis and a multidimensional statistical analysis. Available data from the National Survey of Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment of Ecuador (ENEMDU), conducted by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) in 2016, was utilized as the main source of information in the study. One of the previous surveys, conducted in the country in 2006, suggested that the equivalent percentage of the illiterate population was 8.63%; therefore, these data indicate that the population under examination has decreased considerably in the last ten years. This means that a highly important enhancement in terms of literacy has occurred over this period of time in Ecuador. The study results, drawn from the descriptive analysis and the hierarchical analysis carried out as part of this research, may be key at the moment of creating policies, educational campaings and nationwide, special programs focused on helping reduce and eliminate illiteracy across the nation in the upcoming years.