KATHMANDU, March 24: Amid controversies surrounding the ongoing literacy campaign, the government is set to declare total literacy in five more districts by mid-April.
Nuwakot, Arghakhanchi, Dang, Pyuthan and Bhaktapur are the districts that have reached near the goal among the targeted age group, officials at the Non Formal Education Centre (NFEC) claim.
Most of the districts in the line have met the criteria by achieving 95 percent literacy in 15-60 years age group, said NFEC Deputy Director Bishnu Prasad Mishra.
The government in 2012 had begun the drive with an aim to make 5,173,970 of the total population between 15-60 years age group literate on the basis of household survey carried out in the fiscal year 2010/2011.
Sindhupalchowk, Palpa, Lalitpur, Manang, Mustang, Dhading and Chitwan have already been declared literate districts.
In its attempt to dampen criticism, NFEC has stopped releasing budget for the campaign in 58 districts even though most of them are yet to achieve the target of total literacy in 15-60 years age group.