* Social Stratification: Ancient Sumerian society was stratified. Scribes were a specialized group, responsible for record-keeping, administration, and literature. They would have been highly educated in cuneiform.
* Practical Needs: Most people in Sumerian society were farmers, laborers, or artisans. They likely didn't need to read or write cuneiform for their everyday lives.
* Limited Resources: Teaching cuneiform required specialized teachers and materials, which would have been limited.
* Evidence: Archaeological evidence suggests that literacy rates were relatively low in ancient Sumer, with only a small percentage of the population likely being literate.
However, it's also important to note:
* Cuneiform was widespread: While not everyone was literate, cuneiform was used extensively in Sumerian society. This means that even those who couldn't read or write would have been exposed to it.
* Basic literacy: It's possible that some individuals outside the scribe class learned basic cuneiform skills, such as recognizing their own names or basic symbols.
In conclusion, while it's improbable that all Sumerians learned cuneiform, the script was still pervasive throughout their society. It was likely a skill primarily reserved for the elite, but even those who were illiterate would have been exposed to cuneiform in their daily lives.