DHAKA, Sept 8, 2018 (BSS) – Primary and Mass Education Minister
Mostafizur Rahman today said the country’s literacy rate is increasing
rapidly keeping the pace with the global rate.
“Now, the country’s literacy rate is 72.9 percent while 27.1 percent
people are still illiterate,” he said addressing the inaugural session of a
discussion in the city.
The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education organised the discussion at
Jatiya Natyashala auditorium of Shilpakala Academy marking the International
Literacy Day 2018.
Chaired by Primary and Mass Education Secretary Mohammad Asif-Uz-Zaman,
the discussion was addressed, among others, by Chairman of Parliamentary
Standing Committee on the Primary and Mass Education Ministry Md Motahar
Hossian and its member AKM Zahangir Hossain.
Observing that there is no alternative to literacy for achieving the
expected development goals, Mostafiz said the country’s literacy rate
increased after the government took some pragmatic steps in this regard.
The Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE) is implementing a literacy
programme across the country to make 45 lakh people aged between 15-45 years
literate and skilled, he said.
The minister said a preamble on non-formal education development
programme is being prepared to achieve the targets of Sustainable Development
Goal-4 and the Seventh Five Year Plan of the government.
He said the Non-Formal Education Act-2014 has been enacted to facilitate
the underprivileged people with education, create alternative opportunity of
education to the children dropped out of schools, and check school dropout
rate.
Earlier in the day, a procession, led by Mostafizur Rahman, was brought
out from the Shilpakala Academy premises at 9 am.
The International Literacy Day is being observed across the world today
with the slogan ‘Literacy and Skills Development’ while it is being observed
in Bangladesh with the slogan ‘Shakkharata Arjan Kori, Dakkha Hoye Jibon
Gori’.