promote private sector schooling, equal access for all groups (i.e. prevent gender discrimination, prevent ethnic discrimination, prevent class discrimination, etc.) and promote continuing education through formal and informal systems. Barriers to education in Eritrea include traditional taboos, school fees (for registration and materials), and the cost barriers of low-income households. Statistics Statistics suggest that between 39 and 57 percent of school-aged children attend primary school and 21 percent attend secondary school. Student-teacher ratios are high: 45 to 1 at the elementary level and 54 to 1 at the secondary level. There are an average 63 students per classroom at the elementary level and 97 per classroom at the secondary level. Learning hours at school are often less than four hours per day. Skill shortages are present at all levels of the education system, and funding for and access to education vary significantly by gender (with dropout rates much higher for girls) and location. The overall literacy rate in Eritrea is estimated to be about 84 percent in 2020. In the age 15–24 the literacy rate is 89 percent. "The Ministry [of Education] plans to establish a university in every region in the future." References External links Colonial School system in Eritrea, by Silvia Nocchi (in Italian)