72,000 Jakartans Illiterate

VIVAnews - The Jakarta administration will put great effort to reduce illiteracy rate in the Indonesian capital. Data of Jakarta Agency of Education up until January 2009 showed that the number of illiterate people reaches 72,553.

Head of Jakarta Agency of Education, Taufik Yudi, said that the number decreased by 13,200 compared to data in December 2008 reaching 85,753. "The average people suffering from illiteracy are those above school-age," he said on Wednesday, Jan. 28.

The Jakarta administration has promised to reduce illiteracy. Through Jakarta Agency of Education, the illiteracy rate is targeted to decrease by between 5,000 and 10,000 in 2009.

The aim is to achieve the target by maximizing the program through teaching and learning processes in the society. Jakarta possesses at least 134 centers of teaching and learning organized by private and national institutions. "It will resemble non-formal schools," he said.

Translated by: Bonardo Maulana Wahono