Vow to end illiteracy by year's end

At present, there are about 26,000 illiterate students in the country.
“This is an urgent plan because with illiteracy, students will have problems with all subjects,” Education Minister ADM Narong Pipatanasai said yesterday.
He said all relevant authorities would take part in the plan.
The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) will monitor the implementation of the plan by all educational service area offices.
“Then it will report its progress to the Education Ministry,” Narong said.
The minister said teachers and relevant officials would use all available methods in a bid to ensure all students could read and write at the required standard.
“All teachers, not just those teaching Thai language, are expected to help,” he said.
Narong said that if any student was found with literacy problems, teachers should provide extra tutorial classes.
He expects to see tangible results within the first four months of implementation.
“I am fully confident that the plan will be a success. We will be able to eradicate illiteracy problems among students this year,” Narong said.
Obec secretary general Kamol Rodklai said literacy was the key to self-development and further studies. “So, this is a very important issue,” he said.
Chukiat Danthanasap, who heads Nan’s Educational Service Office Area 1, said his office encouraged schools to design innovations that would improve students’ reading and writing skills. “Some schools have already delivered good innovations. We will hold a meeting with them so that they can help develop strategies to eradicate illiteracy before the end of this year,” he said.