South Asian nations should fight together to build educated

Calling for enhanced cooperation in the field of literacy and education in South Asia, Vice President Hamid Ansari today said the region will have to fight together the scourge of illiteracy and build educated and enlightened societies.
Inaugurating the one-day international conference on 'Alliance for Literacy, Peace and Development' in South Asia, Ansari said 40 crore adults, almost half of the world's illiterate population, live in South Asia.
"Women and girls constitute nearly two thirds of the illiterate adult population, making the magnitude of the problem even greater," he said.
Appreciating that literacy among young women was growing at a faster pace than that of men, Ansari said gender parity in literacy is a distinct possibility in the future.

He also announced that 'Saakshar Bharat' programme, touted as the world's largest literacy mission, run by the HRD ministry has been recognised by experts and it is being conferred UNESCO'S King Sejong Literacy prize for this year.
The vice president also presented certificates to the 20 millionth and a few other adult learners.

Speaking on the occasion, HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju highlighted the role of literacy in promotion of peace and development.
Hailing the role of 'Saakshar Bharat' programme, he said the world's largest literacy programme has been successful due to its decentralised structure.
Minister of State for HRD Shashi Tharoor said to invest more in education is to prevent debilitating calamity tomorrow and that development is about people and not about infrastructure.

Delegates from the South Asian countries took part in the conference.