Increase literacy to combat social evils: Governor

Hyderabad, Sept 8 (INN): Governor E S L Narsimhan on Wednesday stressed the importance of increasing literacy level in the state to check exploitation. Inaugurating the International Literacy Day celebrations and Saakshar Bharathi Programme at Shilpa Kala Vedika, Mr Narasimhan said that education was necessary to fight against the social evils. Mr Narasimhan said that social evils like exclusion and deprivation could be countered with education, particularly women education as it civilizes the entire family and then the effects reach the society.

The Governor also called on corporate and private bodies to make it their social responsibility and contribute financially in the implementation of education programmes. He said that if corporate bodies come forward and help in the literacy programmes, the government can eradicate many social evils.

Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development D Purandareswari, in her speech, thanked the Centre for allowing the holding of the International Literacy Day outside the National Capital. Quoting figures, the MoS said that 35 percent of the worlds 759 million adult illiterates were from India. She stressed on the need for the country to achieve 80 percent literacy rate by end of 2015. She said that this was one of the great challenges the country has to face.

Ms Purandareswari said that the Centre has brought Right to Education Act making education mandatory to children aged between 6 to 14 years as part of its efforts to eradicate illiteracy. She said that that the enrollment in higher education was 12.5 percent in the country as against world average of 31 percent and added that the country should aim to achieve 30 percent enrolment in higher education.

Ms Purandareswari also stressed on the need to increase the presence of women in local bodies from 30 to 50 percent and appealed to NGOs, public and private sector organizations to take part in the literacy programmes.

Primary Education Minister Ahmedullah Syed read out Chief Minister K Rosaiahs message at the inauguration function. Mr Rosaiah did not attend personally as he is indisposed. The Chief Minister, in his message, thanked the Union Government for selecting Hyderabad for conduct of International Literacy Day. Mr Rosaiah said the State Government was committed to eradicate illiteracy. The literacy rate has gone up from 44.09 percent to 60.47 percent during 1991-2001.

He said there were 2.19 crore illiterates in 19 districts which have been selected for implementation of Saakshara Bharathi programme in the state. He exuded confidence that the state would achieve more than 80 percent of literacy rate by 2012.