67% literacy rate in J&K, Govt taking steps for 100% literacy: Edu Secretary

Secretary School Education, Farooq Ahmed Shah, on Friday said 67 percent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population is presently literate and the government has taken “all adequate steps” to upgrade the education standard to further increase the literacy rate.
Shah said the government’s mission is to achieve 100 percent literacy in the state.
He was speaking at a function organized at Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Kothibagh, to celebrate 51st International Literacy Day (ILD) as Saakshar Bharat Mission (SBM). The function’s special emphasis was on ‘Adult Education in J&K’. It was organized in collaboration with State Literacy Mission Authority (SLMA) SBM, J&K.
A statement issued by the government quoted him as having said the government aims to further promote and strengthen adult education, especially of women by extending educational options to those adults who have last the opportunity of access to formal education and crossed the standard age for receiving such education, now feel a need for learning of any type including literacy, basic education, vocational education (skill development), physical and emotional development, practical arts, applied science, and sports and recreation.
Shah lauded efforts of the school’s principal and organizer for holding the function for the ‘upliftment of the society’.
He asked to organizers to hold more such functions and seminars in future to promote education sector as per the need of the present time.
Shah also distributed the trophies and mementos among the students who have participated and excelled in sports sector including cricket, volleyball, badminton, etc.
He said the need of the hour is to take serious efforts to achieve the goal of boosting social and economic development in the State.
The statement said Saakshar Bharat Mission (SBM) programme was formulated with the objective of achieving 80 percent literacy rate at national level by focusing on adult women literacy, seeking to reduce the gap between male and female literacy to not more than 10 percentage points.
“It has four broader objectives, namely imparting functional literacy and numeracy to non-literates, acquiring equivalency to formal educational system, imparting relevant skill development programme and promote a leaning society by providing opportunities for continuing education,” the statement read.
Director School Education, Kashmir, Dr GN Itoo; Joint Director (SLMA), T Dolkar; State Coordinators, (SLMA), Syed Imran, Manmeet Bali; In-charge SBM Srinagar, Nazir A Sofi; Principal, GGHSS, Kothibagh, Romina Qazi; lectures, teachers, a larger numbers of students and others were present on the occasion.