Kuman: Effort needed to raise literacy level

MORE effort is required from every section of the community to raise the level of literacy in the country, Education Minister Nick Kuman says.
He was officiating at the launch of the annual National Literacy Week at the Bitavavar Elementary School in Kokopo, East New Britain, yesterday.
Kuman said the country’s literacy rate was 86 per cent on a global level.
“As it is now, PNG’s literacy rate is low at 56.2 per cent according to the 2000 National Census.  The national literacy rate for women is at 51 per cent and male at 61 per cent,” Kuman said.
He said 16 years on there was improvement.
According to the 2010 PNG Household Income and Expenditure Survey Report, the female youth literacy rate increased to 74.6 per cent and the data further showed that urban female literacy rate was 92 per cent and rural youth at 71.2 per cent.
He said nine of the 22 provinces reached the 70 per cent literacy rate target set for 2010.
Kuman said this indicated that the country’s national literacy rate was relatively low and required further government intervention.
“This is an important week for PNG. It is only fitting for us to launch the literacy week in ENB because it is between two provinces  that have gone past the 86 per cent global literacy rate.”
Kuman said the Education Department was addressing literacy and numeracy through formal education from elementary preparatory to Grade 12.
“In PNG, literacy and numeracy are vital skills for one to essentially contribute towards the development of his or her province and the country.” The theme for the week is “Literacy is Education”.