Vice President Hamid Ansari today asked the society to work collectively to realise the goal of "education for all" and 100 per cent literacy as schools in many parts of the country lack infrastructure and other facilities.
He said in 1947, only 12 per cent population was educated in our country which has now increased to 75 per cent but it was still less than the world average, which is above 80 per cent.
Vice President said teachers in schools in many parts of the country were not paid salaries on time while others were functioning with less staff or facilities.
"So our national objective all should be educated and achieving hundred per cent literacy was facing practical difficulties," he said.
The Vice President said society at large will have to come forward in achieving the goal of education for all.
Ansari also suggested that teachers should be given higher salaries and social recognition. "Not only are they paid less but their social position was also not what it should be," he said.
He said though the number of private schools had increased, but not all people could afford them.
Stressing on women's education, Ansari said it had been said that by educating a woman, you educate the entire family.
Ansari was speaking at an event where he presented the 'Malti Devi Gyan Peeth Puraskar-2014' to 15 outstanding teachers from girls' higher secondary schools in Punjab at a function held here today.
Union Minister Maneka Gandhi was also present on the occassion.
The Vice President also said he felt that nothing was more important than education in the society and teachers play a very important role in imparting education to students.
