Like other countries around the globe, Bangladesh will observe the International Literacy Day-2019 on Sunday in a befitting manner.
“Literacy and Multilingualism” is this year’s theme which means literacy in many languages will guarantee a better life.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday gave separate messages marking the day.
The President, in his message, said the government is committed to ensure education for all to develop skilled manpower.
He said the government is working relentlessly to improve the education system of the country and to improve literacy and skill of the people.
To make the people of the country as viable human resource, he said, adding that the government is working sincerely for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Seventh Five years Plan.
To achieve this, the government has adopted and implemented various development programmes, including compulsory primary education, free textbook distribution, training, development of school infrastructure, distribution of cent percent scholarships, school feedings, the President added.
The government has taken ‘illiteracy removing programme’ as a social movement for building a country free from illiteracy, he said.
The Prime Minister, in her message, called upon all to work together to attain cent percent literacy rate to turn every citizen of the country into a human resource.
She said the present government is implementing the fundamental literacy scheme in 64 districts of the country to remove illiteracy.
With our relentless efforts, she said, the literacy rate has increased by more than 28.12 percent in the last one decade and it now stands at 73.09 percent.
“We want to free the country from the curse of illiteracy by implementing literacy and education development programmes”, the premier said, adding that the Government is implementing a variety of programmes to ensure quality and universal education in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Different government and private organisations will also organise various programmes to mark the day in a befitting manner. The International Literacy Day is celebrated throughout the world marking the 52nd anniversary of the World Congress of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy, held in Tehran, Iran in 1965.
Following the Tehran recommendation, UNESCO proclaimed September 8th the International Literacy Day.
