Kathmandu, April 3:

In a mere four years time the literacy rate of Goldhunga VDC of Kathmandu district has gone up by seven per cent.

The rate of illiteracy was 26.87 per cent during the 2001 census while the latest survey conducted in 2005 has found that the illiteracy per cent has gone down to 19.5 per cent. According to the survey, out of the total population of 7,794, as many as 1,520 people living in the VDC were illiterate during that time. The survey also revealed that there are 43 people with Masters degree, 223 with bachelors degree, 591 have passed intermediate level and 607 are SLC graduates. Media also plays crucial role to educate people. The survey found that there are some 1,304 sets and 1,295 Television sets in the VDC.

Secretary of the VDC Subhakar Sharma said there are three government schools and six private boarding schools and one higher secondary school in the VDC. “The yearly adult education programme could have also contributed to increase the literacy rate,” he said. According to the survey Tamang/Lama constitutes 28.21 per cent of the total population of the VDC, 36.38 per cent of Brahmin/Chhetri, 12.18 per cent of Newar, 1.6 per cent of Lawat, another 1.6 per cent Magrati and other groups consists 20.03 per cent.

The survey stated that as many as 1,415 households of the VDC are involved in

agriculture while many people are involved in other services and only 195 people of

the VDC have left the country for better job opportunities.