Unmet Literacy Goals Persist After 15 Years of Education Drive
In Nepal, a nationwide literacy campaign that began in 2008 AD has been ongoing for over 15 years, with the aim of eradicating illiteracy. However, the goal of achieving this feat within two years, as set at the campaign's inception, remains unmet.
The latest data reveals that the literacy rate among the population above five years of age in Nepal stands at 76.2 percent. While this is a significant improvement, it falls short of the global practice of the United Nations, which declares any district, municipality, or province literate if at least 95 percent of the total population is literate.
According to government data, 10 districts in Nepal have not yet been declared fully literate. In Madhesh Province, the districts yet to be declared literate are Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, and Parsa. Similarly, in Karnali Province, Kalikot and Dolpa are still awaiting this recognition.
The Centre for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD) reports that 67 districts have been declared fully literate so far. However, the implementation of the federal constitution has brought about confusion over responsibility (federal, provincial, or local), creating further problems and contributing to the ongoing challenges faced by the literacy campaign.
Before federalism, the responsibility of the literacy campaign was entrusted to government employees. However, it was noted that they were not people-oriented, leading to less-than-expected results. This overlooked reality partially explains the campaign's lack of success.
An education expert attributes the campaign's lack of success to the unclear definition of responsibility for ensuring literacy. The search results do not contain information about the responsible parties for the literacy campaign in Nepal after the implementation of the federal constitution.
Despite limited resources, the CEHRD Deputy Director General states that the achievements of the literacy campaign in Nepal are still positive. The male literacy rate stands at 83.3 percent, while the female literacy rate is 69.4 percent.
The government has spent nearly 10 billion rupees on the literacy campaign over the past 15 years. However, the ongoing challenges suggest that more needs to be done to ensure that Nepal achieves its goal of eradicating illiteracy.
In 2000, Nepal made a written commitment to eradicate illiteracy by 2015 at an international conference held in Jomtien, Thailand. While this goal has not been met, the journey towards a literate Nepal continues.
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