Andhra’s literacy rate worst, stands at 66.4%: NSO survey

Andhra Pradesh, which boasts of IT education, has the lowest literacy rate in the country, according to a National Statistical Office (NSO) survey. Andhra’s literacy rate stands at 66.4%, the worst among all states in India. It is significantly lower than Bihar’s 70.9 and Telangana’s 72.8%.

 YSRCP spokesman Dr. Kammela Sridhar told The Daily Guardian, “Andhra Pradesh literacy rate is low. It’s a fact. That’s why the CM has started a programme called Ammavadi. It’s a first of its kind in the country, under which if a mother sends a child to any school, she will get 15 thousand rupees per annum. It will encourage mothers to send their children to schools rather than to work. It will prevent child labour also, it’s like two birds with a single shot.”

Sridhar further adds that the introduction of English medium schools also decreases the drop outs. 99% of private schools are English medium. The literacy rate will be increased in Andhra Pradesh due to the measures taken by the government of Jagan Mohan Reddy.”

On the other hand, In Andhra Pradesh, the male literacy rate is 73.4%, higher than 59.5% among females (of the age of seven years or above).

BJP leader and educationist Lanka Dinakar accuses Jagan Mohan Reddy of being a sticker CM and said, “Poor literacy rate in Andhra Pradesh, which is below the national average is due to the worrying performance of the state government.”

 “Union government under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi has been pumping a fund of thousands of crores of rupees through Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and nutritious food for anganwadi children to encourage education for better future human resources. But the state government is misusing the funds for painting the ruling party’s colours even on the school structures rather than spending the money on quality education for the poor and needy families”, Dinakar mentions.