Tibet to sharply slash illiteracy rate
( 2003-11-22 17:00) (Xinhua)
The Tibet Autonomous Region
in southwest China plans to reduce the number of illiterate people by 100,000
annually to help boost local economy, said a senior Tibet official here
Saturday.
Guo Jinlong, secretary of the Tibet regional committee of the Communist Party
of China (CPC), made the remark while meeting with Arthur Holcombe, chairman of
Tibet Poverty Alleviation Fund (TPAF).
Statistics show that 30 percent of local population are illiterate. Lhasa
City, the capital of Tibet, reports the lowest illiteracy rate of 10 percent.
Guo said international institutions are welcomed to Tibet to help with local
anti-illiteracy efforts and provide education.
At present, local governments are trying to provide more education to local
residents by further popularizing the nine-year basic education program and
launching special "illiteracy- eradicating" courses in rural areas.
Guo praised TPAF for its contribution to poverty alleviation in Tibet.
TPAF is a non-governmental organization cooperating with local Tibetan
communities to implement programs in terms of small loans, vocational training,
entrepreneurship development and women and children health.
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