Muscat – The Ministry of Education will open registration for literacy and adult education programmes starting August 30, extending efforts to bring adults back into education as the sultanate pushes illiteracy towards negligible levels.

The Ministry of Education said registration for literacy programmes for the 2026-27 academic year will remain open till September 24, while enrolment in adult education will continue till October 22.

Applications must be submitted electronically and those received after the respective deadlines will not be considered.

National Centre for Statistics and Information data showed the overall illiteracy rate had fallen to 2.5% by 2023 and to just 0.5% among those aged 15 to 44.

The drive has continued to reach adults across the sultanate. During the 2025-26 academic year, 2,032 learners enrolled in 192 literacy classes in urban, mountain and desert communities across Oman.

Under the latest registration scheme, learners may enrol in the governorate listed as their permanent address on their national ID, where they work, or where they previously studied for at least two years.

Those seeking distance learning can select the remote-study option while applying, widening access for people unable to attend regular classes.

Social security beneficiaries, persons with disabilities and Omani citizens aged 60 and older are exempt from registration fees.

For adult education covering Grades 7 to 11, first-time registration costs RO5 and re-registration RO10. Grade 12 applicants pay RO10 for first registration and RO50 for re-registration.

Applicants must provide a valid national ID, their latest successful academic certificate and, where applicable, documents proving eligibility for fee exemption. Those applying outside their home governorate on the basis of employment must submit a no-objection letter from their employer.

The registration process is completed electronically, with applicants receiving text messages as their applications move through review, fee payment and final approval.

The programme is part of Oman’s broader shift from basic literacy towards lifelong and digital learning, with adult education increasingly designed to help learners participate in an economy and public services that are becoming more technology-driven.