The statistic depicts the literacy rate in Colombia from 2008 to 2020. The literacy rate measures the percentage of people aged 15 and above who can read and write. In 2020, Colombia's literacy rate was around 95.64 percent.

Colombia: Literacy rate: The latest value from 2020 is 96 percent, an increase from 95 percent in 2019. In comparison, the world average is 86.55 percent, based on data from 33 countries. Historically, the average for Colombia from 1993 to 2020 is 93.44 percent. The minimum value, 91 percent, was reached in 1993 while the maximum of 96 percent was recorded in 2020.

Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) in Colombia was reported at 96 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

In 2022, the youth literacy rate (people aged 15-24) in Colombia remained nearly unchanged at around 98.91 percent. With a decline of 0.2 percentage points (-0.2 percent), there is no significant change to 2021. The youth literacy rate refers to the share of individuals between the ages of 15 and 24 and who can read and write as well as understand simple expressions about their daily lives.

In 2020, the rate of adult literacy as share of the country's population 15 years and above in Colombia remained nearly unchanged at around 96 percent. Nevertheless, 2020 still represents a peak in the rate of adult literacy in Colombia. The adult literacy rate refers to the share of individuals aged 15 years and older who can read and write as well as understand simple expressions about their daily lives.

Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 96.000 % in 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 95.000 % for 2019. Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 93.000 % from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2020, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 96.000 % in 2020 and a record low of 91.000 % in 1996. Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;

The statistic depicts the results of a survey carried out in Colombia in 2017. When asked if they could read and write, *** percent of respondents in Bogota answered negatively. Among respondents of the Atlantic region, **** percent of people surveyed said they were able to read and write.

Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 95.000 % in 2020. This stayed constant from the previous number of 95.000 % for 2019. Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 93.000 % from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2020, with 16 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 95.000 % in 2020 and a record low of 91.000 % in 1996. Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;

Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) in Colombia was reported at 98.64 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes (%) in Colombia was reported at 83.32 % in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Elderly literacy rate, population 65+ years, both sexes - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The literacy rate of people ages 15 years and over in Colombia was estimated at approximately 96 percent in 2020. Between 1993 and 2020, the rate rose by around five percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

The statistic depicts the results of a survey carried out in Colombia in 2017. When asked if they could read and write, *** percent of respondents aged 26 to 40 stated answered negatively. Among respondents aged 65 or more, **** percent of the people surveyed said they were able to read and write.

Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data was reported at 99.200 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99.420 % for 2021. Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 98.725 % from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2022, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2000 and a record low of 96.000 % in 1993. Colombia CO: Literacy Rate: Youth Female: % of Females Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;

Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) in Colombia was reported at 99.2 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Literacy rate, youth female (% of females ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) in Colombia was reported at 95 % in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Literacy rate, adult male (% of males ages 15 and above) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Historical dataset showing Colombia literacy rate by year from 1993 to 2020.

Colombia CO: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data was reported at 1.006 Ratio in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.006 Ratio for 2021. Colombia CO: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 1.008 Ratio from Dec 1993 (Median) to 2022, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.016 Ratio in 2003 and a record low of 1.000 Ratio in 2007. Colombia CO: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Colombia – Table CO.World Bank.WDI: Social: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for youth literacy rate is the ratio of females to males ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.;UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS). UIS.Stat Bulk Data Download Service. Accessed April 5, 2025. https://apiportal.uis.unesco.org/bdds.;Weighted average;

Disparities of scientific education (STEM) in rural and remote communities are exacerbating inequalities and taking away opportunities for youth to explore their scientific interests and participate in science-making globally. Maker education in rural and remote areas of Latin America could boost the participation of rural communities in scientific education and open alternatives to the lack of higher literacy rates and STEM education. In Colombia, tertiary education has been making efforts to close this gap through the Itinerant Technical Academies of Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA: National Learning Service). Participants in the Technical Academies create relevant technologies for their context, reflecting on their cultural values and aesthetics. In this contribution, we describe three projects conducted in the itinerant Technical Academies of rural Colombia in Narino to exemplify how participants made their artifacts relevant to their culture using available resources, materials, and practices. Students are using available resources to create artifacts that are relevant to their social contexts and aligned with constructivist practices. We propose and discuss three characteristics that have emerged in makerspaces situated in rural Colombia: (i) Narratives, (ii) Resourcefulness, and (iii) Identities and we suggest that makers, scholars, policymakers, and educators should pay attention to those three elements to guide future studies and further research on maker education in the Global South.

Literacy rate, youth (ages 15-24), gender parity index (GPI) in Colombia was reported at 1.0056 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Colombia - Ratio of young literate females to males (% ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Abstract

The STEP (Skills Toward Employment and Productivity) Measurement program is the first ever initiative to generate internationally comparable data on skills available in developing countries. The program implements standardized surveys to gather information on the supply and distribution of skills and the demand for skills in labor market of low-income countries.

The uniquely-designed Household Survey includes modules that measure the cognitive skills (reading, writing and numeracy), socio-emotional skills (personality, behavior and preferences) and job-specific skills (subset of transversal skills with direct job relevance) of a representative sample of adults aged 15 to 64 living in urban areas, whether they work or not. The cognitive skills module also incorporates a direct assessment of reading literacy based on the Survey of Adults Skills instruments. Modules also gather information about family, health and language.

Geographic coverage

13 major metropolitan areas: Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Baranquilla, Bucaramanga, Cucuta, Cartagena, Pasto, Ibague, Pereira, Manizales, Monteira, and Villavicencio.

Analysis unit

The units of analysis are the individual respondents and households. A household roster is undertaken at the start of the survey and the individual respondent is randomly selected among all household members aged 15 to 64 included. The random selection process was designed by the STEP team and compliance with the procedure is carefully monitored during fieldwork.

Universe

The target population for the Colombia STEP survey is all non-institutionalized persons 15 to 64 years old (inclusive) living in private dwellings in urban areas of the country at the time of data collection. This includes all residents except foreign diplomats and non-nationals working for international organizations.

The following groups are excluded from the sample: - residents of institutions (prisons, hospitals, etc.) - residents of senior homes and hospices - residents of other group dwellings such as college dormitories, halfway homes, workers' quarters, etc. - persons living outside the country at the time of data collection.

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Stratified 7-stage sample design was used in Colombia. The stratification variable is city-size category.

First Stage Sample The primary sample unit (PSU) is a metropolitan area. A sample of 9 metropolitan areas was selected from the 13 metropolitan areas on the sample frame. The metropolitan areas were grouped according to city-size; the five largest metropolitan areas are included in Stratum 1 and the remaining 8 metropolitan areas are included in Stratum 2. The five metropolitan areas in Stratum 1 were selected with certainty; in Stratum 2, four metropolitan areas were selected with probability proportional to size (PPS), where the measure of size was the number of persons aged 15 to 64 in a metropolitan area.

Second Stage Sample The second stage sample unit is a Section. At the second stage of sample selection, a PPS sample of 267 Sections was selected from the sampled metropolitan areas; the measure of size was the number of persons aged 15 to 64 in a Section. The sample of 267 Sections consisted of 243 initial Sections and 24 reserve Sections to be used in the event of complete non-response at the Section level.

Third Stage Sample The third stage sample unit is a Block. Within each selected Section, a PPS sample of 4 blocks was selected; the measure of size was the number of persons aged 15 to 64 in a Block. Two sample Blocks were initially activated while the remaining two sample Blocks were reserved for use in cases where there was a refusal to cooperate at the Block level or cases where the block did not belong to the target population (e.g., parks, and commercial and industrial areas).

Fourth Stage Sample The fourth stage sample unit is a Block Segment. Regarding the Block segmentation strategy, the Colombia document 'FINAL SAMPLING PLAN (ARD-397)' states "According to the 2005 population and housing census conducted by DANE, the average number of dwellings per block in the 13 large cities or metropolitan areas was approximately 42 dwellings. Based on this finding, the defined protocol was to report those cases in which 80 or more dwellings were present in a given block in order to partition block using a random selection algorithm." At the fourth stage of sample selection, 1 Block Segment was selected in each selected Block using a simple random sample (SRS) method.

Fifth Stage Sample The fifth stage sample unit is a dwelling. At the fifth stage of sample selection, 5582 dwellings were selected from the sampled Blocks/Block Segments using a simple random sample (SRS) method. According to the Colombia document 'FINAL SAMPLING PLAN (ARD-397)', the selection of dwellings within a participant Block "was performed differentially amongst the different socioeconomic strata that the Colombian government uses for the generation of cross-subsidies for public utilities (in this case, the socioeconomic stratum used for the electricity bill was used). Given that it is known from previous survey implementations that refusal rates are highest amongst households of higher socioeconomic status, the number of dwellings to be selected increased with the socioeconomic stratum (1 being the poorest and 6 being the richest) that was most prevalent in a given block".

Sixth Stage Sample The sixth stage sample unit is a household. At the sixth stage of sample selection, one household was selected in each selected dwelling using an SRS method.

Seventh Stage Sample The seventh stage sample unit was an individual aged 15-64 (inclusive). The sampling objective was to select one individual with equal probability from each selected household.

Sampling methodologies are described for each country in two documents and are provided as external resources: (i) the National Survey Design Planning Report (NSDPR) (ii) the weighting documentation (available for all countries)

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The STEP survey instruments include:

• The background questionnaire developed by the World Bank (WB) STEP team
• Reading Literacy Assessment developed by Educational Testing Services (ETS).

All countries adapted and translated both instruments following the STEP technical standards: two independent translators adapted and translated the STEP background questionnaire and Reading Literacy Assessment, while reconciliation was carried out by a third translator.

The survey instruments were piloted as part of the survey pre-test.

The background questionnaire covers such topics as respondents' demographic characteristics, dwelling characteristics, education and training, health, employment, job skill requirements, personality, behavior and preferences, language and family background.

The background questionnaire, the structure of the Reading Literacy Assessment and Reading Literacy Data Codebook are provided in the document "Colombia STEP Skills Measurement Survey Instruments", available in external resources.

Cleaning operations

STEP data management process:

1) Raw data is sent by the survey firm 2) The World Bank (WB) STEP team runs data checks on the background questionnaire data. Educational Testing Services (ETS) runs data checks on the Reading Literacy Assessment data. Comments and questions are sent back to the survey firm. 3) The survey firm reviews comments and questions. When a data entry error is identified, the survey firm corrects the data. 4) The WB STEP team and ETS check if the data files are clean. This might require additional iterations with the survey firm. 5) Once the data has been checked and cleaned, the WB STEP team computes the weights. Weights are computed by the STEP team to ensure consistency across sampling methodologies. 6) ETS scales the Reading Literacy Assessment data. 7) The WB STEP team merges the background questionnaire data with the Reading Literacy Assessment data and computes derived variables.

Detailed information on data processing in STEP surveys is provided in "STEP Guidelines for Data Processing", available in external resources. The template do-file used by the STEP team to check raw background questionnaire data is provided as an external resource, too.`

Response rate

An overall response rate of 48% was achieved in the Colombia STEP Survey.