According to the Palestinian Bureau of Statistics, the illiteracy rate in Gaza and the West Bank for persons aged 15 years and over was 4.7% in 2011; this is an average of 4.5% in Gaza and 4.9% in the West Bank. Illiteracy rates have been dropping since 1995, signaling an improvement in both the standard of living, and governmental support among other factors. In fact, literacy rates in the Palestinian Territories are among the highest in the world.
However, these percentages are not indicative of a successful education system. Being literate neither guarantees the completion of basic and higher education nor the quality of education. Compared to security, funds allocated to the education sector remain embarrassingly low. Of the $890 million Hamas-prepared Gaza budget for 2013, only 10% is expected to be invested in education compared to 30% in security.
