| Table 11. Literacy in English, Pidgin, Motu, and Other Languages by Milne Bay Districts, PNG: 1990 | ||||||
| Total | Alotau District | Samarai-Murua | Kiriwina-Goodenough | Esa'ala | District not stated | |
| ENGLISH | ||||||
| Total | 111,318 | 14,914 | 19,812 | 10,197 | 33,494 | 32,901 |
| English literacy | 59,558 | 7,062 | 14,854 | 6,573 | 16,811 | 14,258 |
| No English | 51,760 | 7,852 | 4,958 | 3,624 | 16,683 | 18,643 |
| Male | ||||||
| Total | 57,796 | 7,200 | 11,219 | 5,351 | 16,937 | 17,089 |
| English literacy | 33,087 | 3,655 | 8,571 | 3,582 | 9,211 | 8,068 |
| No English | 24,709 | 3,545 | 2,648 | 1,769 | 7,726 | 9,021 |
| Female | ||||||
| Total | 53,522 | 7,714 | 8,593 | 4,846 | 16,557 | 15,812 |
| English literacy | 26,471 | 3,407 | 6,283 | 2,991 | 7,600 | 6,190 |
| No English | 27,051 | 4,307 | 2,310 | 1,855 | 8,957 | 9,622 |
| PIDGIN | ||||||
| Total | 111,289 | 14,906 | 19,795 | 10,197 | 33,490 | 32,901 |
| Pidgin literacy | 14,397 | 1,689 | 5,524 | 1,319 | 3,347 | 2,518 |
| No Pidgin | 96,892 | 13,217 | 14,271 | 8,878 | 30,143 | 30,383 |
| Male | ||||||
| Total | 57,783 | 7,198 | 11,209 | 5,351 | 16,936 | 17,089 |
| Pidgin literacy | 9,976 | 1,083 | 3,666 | 961 | 2,488 | 1,778 |
| No Pidgin | 47,807 | 6,115 | 7,543 | 4,390 | 14,448 | 15,311 |
| Female | ||||||
| Total | 53,506 | 7,708 | 8,586 | 4,846 | 16,554 | 15,812 |
| Pidgin literacy | 4,421 | 606 | 1,858 | 358 | 859 | 740 |
| No Pidgin | 49,085 | 7,102 | 6,728 | 4,488 | 15,695 | 15,072 |
| MOTU | ||||||
| Total | 111,317 | 14,914 | 19,811 | 10,197 | 33,494 | 32,901 |
| Motu literacy | 14,004 | 1,972 | 4,587 | 2,251 | 3,505 | 1,689 |
| No Motu | 97,313 | 12,942 | 15,224 | 7,946 | 29,989 | 31,212 |
| Male | ||||||
| Total | 57,795 | 7,200 | 11,218 | 5,351 | 16,937 | 17,089 |
| Motu literacy | 10,224 | 1,335 | 3,250 | 1,509 | 2,846 | 1,284 |
| No Motu | 47,571 | 5,865 | 7,968 | 3,842 | 14,091 | 15,805 |
| Female | ||||||
| Total | 53,522 | 7,714 | 8,593 | 4,846 | 16,557 | 15,812 |
| Motu literacy | 3,780 | 637 | 1,337 | 742 | 659 | 405 |
| No Motu | 49,742 | 7,077 | 7,256 | 4,104 | 15,898 | 15,407 |
| OTHER LANGUAGE | ||||||
| Total | 111,318 | 14,914 | 19,812 | 10,197 | 33,494 | 32,901 |
| Other languaghe literacy | 78,523 | 7,241 | 14,660 | 8,815 | 24,113 | 23,694 |
| No other | 32,795 | 7,673 | 5,152 | 1,382 | 9,381 | 9,207 |
| Male | ||||||
| Total | 57,796 | 7,200 | 11,219 | 5,351 | 16,937 | 17,089 |
| Other languaghe literacy | 41,800 | 3,587 | 8,352 | 4,626 | 12,643 | 12,592 |
| No other | 15,996 | 3,613 | 2,867 | 725 | 4,294 | 4,497 |
| Female | ||||||
| Total | 53,522 | 7,714 | 8,593 | 4,846 | 16,557 | 15,812 |
| Other languaghe literacy | 36,723 | 3,654 | 6,308 | 4,189 | 11,470 | 11,102 |
| No other | 16,799 | 4,060 | 2,285 | 657 | 5,087 | 4,710 |
| Source: 1990 Papua New Guinea Census | ||||||