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Country on right track to achieve cent per cent literacy: Prez- 9-Sep-2011
New Delhi: Noting that the country was on the "right track" to achieve cent per cent literacy, President Pratibha Patil batted for women's education as it was a "force multiplier" in achieving socio-economic development.
"Literate women will be self-reliant and beneficial impact on society will be manifold," she said inaugurating an international conference on women's literacy.
"Hence our efforts in this field must continue relentlessly as educated women can play a significant role in helping promote women's literacy programmes," she said.
The President said the country has seen several success stories of women moving out of poverty as a result of literacy movements and as an outcome of the literacy programme, they have gained a measure of control over their everyday lives.
They have been able to organise themselves into self help groups, she said.
She felt that an approach to literacy that is both holistic and relevant for development can bring greater benefits, especially if it is linked to learning of other skills which are necessary for human and socio-economic development.
Referring to the latest census which has projected India's total literacy at 74 per cent, she felt that though the country is still far from attaining 100 per cent literacy, "we are, however, on the right track".
The census, she said, reflects that during the last decade, accretion of female literates was more than male accretion, thus reducing the gender gap to 16 per cent.
"Increasing female literacy has the potential of becoming a force multiplier in pushing forward the socio-economic development of a nation," she said.
The conference which coincided with the International Literacy Day is being organised by the HRD Ministry and UNESCO.
The President, on the occasion, gave away UNESCO King Sejong and UNESCO Confucius prize for literacy. She also presented the Saakshar Bharat literacy awards.
Ministers of State for HRD D Purandeswari and E Ahamed and Assistant Director General of Education, UNESCO, Qian Tang were among those present at the function.
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