Sibal calls on public sector to join literacy mission

Updated on: Thursday, May 20, 2010

New Delhi: Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal called upon public sector units (PSUs) to support the government in promoting education for all.

"Right to education cannot be achieved till we partner with each and every sector," Sibal said, addressing a meet of PSUs and banks for participation in adult literacy programme 'Sakshar Bharat'.

"In the area of setting up schools, we are going for public-private partnerships... You (public sector) can join by building physical assets for us as part of your corporate social responsibility. Other areas include providing incentives to volunteers whose output is of a certain level," he said.

Stressing on increasing the gross enrolment ratio, Sibal said the government aims at increasing the ratio of students going to college to 30 percent from the present 12.4 percent.

"Around 81,000 adult education centres are to be built across the country. The public sector can help in terms of talent and investment," he said.

The 'Sakshar Bharat' programme aims at achieving 80 percent literacy by means of adult education.

It targets educating 70 million adults of which 60 million will be women. This will also include 14 million Scheduled Castes, eight million Scheduled Tribes and 12 million Muslim women.

The plan aims at reducing the gender gap in education by 10 percent. Under the project, 375 districts have been identified across 19 states covering about 38.3 million illiterates.

Sibal calls on public sector to join literacy mission

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