Two percent of Jakartans illiterate

JAKARTA (JP): The number of Jakarta's illiterates is now just 2 percent of the city's population of nine million, a decrease from 21 percent previously.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said yesterday that the drastic drop is surprising and it indicates a great achievement for the city administration.

"I'm surprised. This is the result of hard work and commitment to eradicate illiteracy from the city," Surjadi said in a ceremony to commemorate the 31st International Literacy Day.

The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Social Services Endang Kusuma Inten Suweno and other officials from the city administration.

According to data recorded by the Ministry of Education and Culture, this achievement makes Jakarta on par with South Korea and higher than Singapore in literacy.

Surjadi said the city administration has been implementing various intensive programs to help illiterate Jakartans be able to read or write.

The governor also said that a total of 18,000 children in Jakarta will be given aid through a foster parents program this year. (yns)