Grim Literacy Numbers

TNN / Sep 9, 2005, 03:04 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

The state government's progress report of literacy campaigns presents a dismal picture so primary teachers would not be deployed for jobs other than teaching.

LUCKNOW: Basic education minister Kiranpal Singh, while addressing several World Literacy Day functions in the city on Thursday, announced that the state government had decided not to deploy primary education teachers for jobs other then teaching.
He said from now onwards primary teachers would be only used for assignments required for implementation of some national policies.
But, it was not clear as to how this would help the state to improve its literacy rate, which was among the lowest in the country.
The state government's progress report of literacy campaigns also presents a dismal picture. Sample this: The evaluation of 62 districts upto July 2005 for "target given, enrolment done and achievement levels" under the total literacy campaign reveals that there are 11 districts, which could achieve 60 per cent success and above, around 15 have 40-60 per cent success, in 20 �� the success rate is between 20-40 per cent and in one it is below 20 per cent.

Similarly, only seven out of 31 districts completing the post-literacy programme phase were found to have achieved 60 per cent or above success.
Clearly, the road ahead is tough. As per the 2001 census �� the literacy rate in UP is 56.30 per cent against the national average of 64.84 per cent.
While 68.80 per cent males and 42.20 per cent females are literate in the state, the corresponding figures at the national level are 75.26 and 53.67 per cents respectively.

Only 52.50 per cent of the rural population is literate in UP. In comparison �� 69.80 per cent urban population of state is literate.
The literacy percentage of rural women is very low �� 36.90 per cent and in comparison �� 61.70 per cent urban females are literate.
Similarly, while 66.60 rural male are literate, the literacy rate in urban males in 76.80 per cent. There are five districts in the state, which have less then 40 per cent literacy, which includes Shrawasti (33.80), Balrampur (34.60), Bahraich (35.20), Badaun (38.20) and Rampur (38.80).
In fifteen districts �� literacy rate is between 40 to 50 per cent, in 22 districts it is between 60 to 70 per cent and only two district, Auraiya and Kanpur City are such where the literacy rate is above 70 per cent.
Auraiya, Kanpur City and Gautambudh Nagar figure among the districts where the male literacy is above 80 per cent, whereas Bahraich, Balrampur, Shrawasti, Rampur and Badayun are the places were the male literacy in the state is below 50 per cent.
The female literacy rate in below 30 per cent in 10 districts, between 30-40 per cent in 19, between 40-50 in 27, between 50-60 in 12 and between 60-70 in two districts, which includes Lucknow and Kanpur city.
In Shrawasti, the female literacy rate is merely 18.60 per cent, Balrampur 21.80 per cent, Bahraich 22.80 per cent, Badayun 25.10 per cent, Sidharthanagar 27.10 per cent, Gonda 27.20 per cent, Rampur 27, 90 per cent, Maharajganj 27.90 per cent, Kushinagar 29.60 per cent and Kaushambi 29.80 per cent.
In Lucknow, the total literacy rate is 68.70 per cent, female literacy is 60.50 per cent and male literacy is 76 per cent.

End of Article