| Table 11. Literacy in English, Pidgin, Motu, and Other Languages by Central Districts, PNG: 1990 | ||||||
| Total | Abau | Goilala | Kairuku - Hiri | Rigo | District not stated | |
| ENGLISH | ||||||
| Total | 98,035 | 21,733 | 20,100 | 20,603 | 20,082 | 15,517 |
| English literacy | 50,983 | 11,507 | 10,772 | 13,541 | 12,015 | 3,148 |
| No English | 47,052 | 10,226 | 9,328 | 7,062 | 8,067 | 12,369 |
| Male | ||||||
| Total | 50,903 | 11,176 | 9,918 | 11,385 | 10,491 | 7,933 |
| English literacy | 29,378 | 6,638 | 5,923 | 8,008 | 6,760 | 2,049 |
| No English | 21,525 | 4,538 | 3,995 | 3,377 | 3,731 | 5,884 |
| Female | ||||||
| Total | 47,132 | 10,557 | 10,182 | 9,218 | 9,591 | 7,584 |
| English literacy | 21,605 | 4,869 | 4,849 | 5,533 | 5,255 | 1,099 |
| No English | 25,527 | 5,688 | 5,333 | 3,685 | 4,336 | 6,485 |
| PIDGIN | ||||||
| Total | 98,001 | 21,730 | 20,094 | 20,593 | 20,078 | 15,506 |
| Pidgin literacy | 25,992 | 6,089 | 4,801 | 8,565 | 4,732 | 1,805 |
| No Pidgin | 72,009 | 15,641 | 15,293 | 12,028 | 15,346 | 13,701 |
| Male | ||||||
| Total | 50,889 | 11,173 | 9,916 | 11,381 | 10,489 | 7,930 |
| Pidgin literacy | 17,377 | 4,108 | 3,090 | 5,582 | 3,219 | 1,378 |
| No Pidgin | 33,512 | 7,065 | 6,826 | 5,799 | 7,270 | 6,552 |
| Female | ||||||
| Total | 47,112 | 10,557 | 10,178 | 9,212 | 9,589 | 7,576 |
| Pidgin literacy | 8,615 | 1,981 | 1,711 | 2,983 | 1,513 | 427 |
| No Pidgin | 38,497 | 8,576 | 8,467 | 6,229 | 8,076 | 7,149 |
| MOTU | ||||||
| Total | 98,021 | 21,733 | 20,097 | 20,603 | 20,081 | 15,507 |
| Motu literacy | 36,326 | 8,685 | 8,300 | 12,162 | 5,380 | 1,799 |
| No Motu | 61,695 | 13,048 | 11,797 | 8,441 | 14,701 | 13,708 |
| Male | ||||||
| Total | 50,897 | 11,176 | 9,916 | 11,385 | 10,490 | 7,930 |
| Motu literacy | 21,691 | 5,386 | 4,709 | 6,769 | 3,461 | 1,366 |
| No Motu | 29,206 | 5,790 | 5,207 | 4,616 | 7,029 | 6,564 |
| Female | ||||||
| Total | 47,124 | 10,557 | 10,181 | 9,218 | 9,591 | 7,577 |
| Motu literacy | 14,635 | 3,299 | 3,591 | 5,393 | 1,919 | 433 |
| No Motu | 32,489 | 7,258 | 6,590 | 3,825 | 7,672 | 7,144 |
| OTHER LANGUAGE | ||||||
| Total | 98,035 | 21,733 | 20,100 | 20,603 | 20,082 | 15,517 |
| Other languaghe literacy | 51,085 | 13,815 | 11,285 | 9,098 | 12,415 | 4,472 |
| No other | 46,950 | 7,918 | 8,815 | 11,505 | 7,667 | 11,045 |
| Male | ||||||
| Total | 50,903 | 11,176 | 9,918 | 11,385 | 10,491 | 7,933 |
| Other languaghe literacy | 28,349 | 7,549 | 5,925 | 5,414 | 6,848 | 2,613 |
| No other | 22,554 | 3,627 | 3,993 | 5,971 | 3,643 | 5,320 |
| Female | ||||||
| Total | 47,132 | 10,557 | 10,182 | 9,218 | 9,591 | 7,584 |
| Other languaghe literacy | 22,736 | 6,266 | 5,360 | 3,684 | 5,567 | 1,859 |
| No other | 24,396 | 4,291 | 4,822 | 5,534 | 4,024 | 5,725 |
| Source: 1990 Papua New Guinea Census | ||||||