Bhaktapur set to be declared fully literate

Bhaktapur, October 16

Bhaktapur is all set to be declared fully literate after all six municipalities in the district attained over 95 per cent literacy.

Of the six municipalities in Bhaktapur, Changunarayan Municipality was declared fully literate only last week. Other municipalities in the district are Bhaktapur, Madhyapur Thimi, Anantaligeshwor, Surya Binayak and Nagarkot.

As per international standards, any village development committee, municipality or district that attains 95 per cent literacy can be declared fully literate.

Madhyapur Thimi was the first municipality in the district to be declared fully literate after it attained 97 per cent literacy.

Similarly, Anantalingeshwor Municipality has attained 97.38 per cent literacy, Nagarkot Municipality 95.42 per cent, Surya Binayak Municipality 96.30 per cent, Bhaktapur Municipality 96.08 per cent and Changunaryan Municipality 97.05 per cent.

Babu Ram Poudel, director, Non Formal Education Centre, today said all municipalities in the district have been declared fully literate. So, the entire district would be declared fully literate soon. “We have already prepared the certificate. So, we will possibly declare Bhaktapur as fully literate district after Dashain,” he added.

NFEC had earlier announced to provide Rs 500,000 as reward to fully literate districts. Till date, 20 districts across the country have already been declared fully literate .

“By the end of 2015, at least 51 districts will be announced fully literate districts,” he added.

He further said that the NFEC is also preparing to run literacy classes for the people who were left out in the previous literacy campaigns.

The literacy classes will be held at Community Learning Centres.

According to NFEC, out of 7.8 million illiterate people between 15 to 60 years in 2008/09, it has been able to make 92.5 per cent literate by the end of 2014/15. Remaining 7.5 per cent (385,897 adults) will be made literate by the end of 2015, claimed Poudel.