Literacy for Rural and Ethnic People: VSG attends a work coordination meeting in NPT

A work coordination meeting for being literate of rural and ethnic people was held at the SAC Chairman office on Tuesday with an address by Chairman of Education, Health and Human Resource Development Committee Vice Chairman of the SAC Deputy Prime Minister Vice Senior General Soe Win.

At the event, the Vice Senior General said that the meeting was aimed to carry out extensively literacy campaign for rural and ethnic people in Myanmar.

The SAC Chairman Prime Minister gave guidance to implement literary project for rural and ethnic people at the Union Government Meeting (4/2023) on 30th August as it has been found that the literacy and basic education of the local ethnic people including rural people was weak.

According to the 2014 population census, there are approximately 2.7 million children who have not completed primary education. It has been issued that there are about 3.55 million illiterate people aged 15 and above.

Similarly, there were about 4.1 million illiterates aged 15 and above in the nation according to the 2019 interim census and it is found that the percentage of female illiterates was higher than males.

Myanmar Literacy campaign started two years earlier than 1966, which was designated as the International Literacy Campaign held in Tehran of Iran. During the summer school holidays of 1964, the "3Rs” course was opened as a trial in East Thaphan model Village of Meikhtila Township.

About 200 participants were taught. After a month's inspection, it was found that about 100 trainees had become literate.That’s why, Meikhtila district was able to celebrate the success of literacy campaign in the whole district in 1971.

Under this mass activity, Myanmar was presented Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Award in 1971 by UNESCO on 8th September 1971 for the recognition in literacy activity. The Vice Senior General pointed out that the literacy benefits not only the individual but also their local community.

It can provide benefits for social, economy, politics and culture in the region and the country as this year’s theme, ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies’.

He stressed that the Ministry of Education but also relevant ministries and region and state governments need to work together for the improvement of national literacy and it needs to understand the importance of literary for people and to be aware of raising awareness. He called on the attendees to make frankly discussion on future plans for improving literate population.

Later, Union Minister for Education Dr Nyunt Pe reported on plans to implement basic literacy campaign and providing aid for students, instructors and supervisors. Officials also reported implementation of National Education Law and formation of Department of Alternative Education and Life Long Learning and implementation of literacy campaign.

The Union Ministers and the Committee members then discussed plans to cooperate by the Ministries for literacy campaign for rural and ethnic people. In response to the reports, the Vice Senior General instructed the needs.