KATHMANDU, Sept 8: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has called one and all to contribute actively from their sides to achieve the national goal of transforming the country towards the middle-income status by 2030. 

During a program organized to distribute the Nepal Bidyabhushan Medal and Nepal Chhatra Bidya Padak on the occasion of the 39th National Education Day and the International Literacy Day at Sheetal Niwas today, President Bhandari said, "To build an equitable society based on social justice, all tiers of governments are making proper coordination and cooperation. I heartily call on all sides to be active with collective responsibility to graduate Nepal from the least developed to the status of developing country by 2022." 

According to her, all must be committed to materialize the resolution of making basic education compulsory and secondary education free in the wake of constitutional provision of citizen's rights to education. The higher education should be accessible, abreast with time, and useful for life, she said, underscoring that children could be moral, dedicated and inspired for society welfare. 

The President further emphasized on production of quality human resources from the university for country's development. 

At the program also attended by Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, President Bhandari conferred the Nepal Bidyabhushan Award 'A' to 233 persons, including Dhruba Raj Regmi (Gorkha), Dibakar Basistha (Chitwan), Mayanath Ghimire (Lamjung), Ramesh Prasad Rijal (Khotang) and Tanka Prasad Upreti (Jhapa) and letters of certificate. Similarly, the Nepal Bidyabhushan 'B' award was handed to 118 persons and Nepal Bidyabhushan 'C' award to 17 persons and the Chhatra Bidya Padak to 18 girl students. 

On the occasion, Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Girirajmani Pokhrel, said knowledge, skills and expertise of the recipients of medals on the occasion of the International Literacy Day would be useful in the government's campaign for national development along with a long-term vision of a prosperous Nepal, happy Nepali. 

The national literacy rate which was around two percent in 1950 has now reached nearly 82 percent, as informed by the Minister. The net enrolment rate in the primary, basic and secondary levels is 97.2%, 92.3 % and 43.9% respectively, according to Minister Pokhrel who further said the figures showed people's access to school education increasing. 

He went on to say that provisions of compulsory and free basic education and free secondary education were in the phases of implementation as fundamental rights and the school sector development program aimed at the transformation of school education had also been implemented. 

"The facility of higher education available first time in the country with the establishment of Tri-Chandra College has arrived at the present situation passing through various ups and downs. So far, 11 universities have been established in the country," he added. RSS

 
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