LALITPUR: Minister for Education Chitra Lekha Yadav today formally declared Lalitpur the first fully literate district across the country, with 99.2 per cent literacy rate among people ranging from 15 to 60 years of age.

On June 5, Non Formal Education Centre had asked all concerned to organise a formal programme to declare Lalitpur the first fully literate district.

Lalitpur, Chitwan, Sindhupalchowk, Palpa, Dhading and Manang district were in the competition.

According to Lalitpur District Education Office, more classes will be started to literate the remaining 0.8 per cent of people or 873 illiterates in the district.

Declaring Lalitpur a fully literate district, Education Minister Yadav said that all concerned should put their best efforts to eradicate illiteracy in all districts within a year. She also handed over a cheque for Rs 500,000 to Lalitpur District Education Office.

Earlier, a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala had decided to celebrate next year as ‘A Year of Eradication of Illiteracy’. Minister Yadav said that literacy campaigns should be started in every village and cities.

Education Secretary Bishwo Prakash Pandit said now it’s time ‘we started providing market-oriented skills to the literate people’.

Baburam Poudel, Director, Non Formal Education Centre, said Lalitpur

district has proved that resources put in literacy campaigns were not going down the drain. “Just like Lalitpur, every district can be made fully literate, eradicating illiteracy from the country,” he said.

Shiva Kumar Sapkota, Lalitpur District Education Officer, said it was a matter of great pride and happiness that Lalitpur has become the first fully literate district in the country.

Government officials, senior officials from education service sectors, educationists, people from village development committees, municipality, political parties, non government organisations, community learning centres and other concerned were present at today’s programme.

source: the himalayan times,23 june 2014