Tangerang, Banten (ANTARA News) - About 19,000 residents of Tangerang district, Banten, are still illiterate, a local education official said.

Head of Equality and Literacy Section of Tangerang`s Education Service, Asep Rohimat, said on Friday that most of the 19 thousand illiterate people were aged over 45 years.

"This number is based on our latest data and it could be compared with the data of the Banten provincial government. Some of them of course have died or moved to other districts or provinces," he said.

He was referring to the Tangerang quota of 3,000 illiterates to be educated in 2011 by the ministry of education.

He said that the number of illiterates in Tangerang could not be eliminated this year because of the number of quota given by the ministry of education was limited.

Asep said that Banten had the deadline until 2013 to settle the problem of illiterates but the education program for illiterate people in Tangerang happened to be stopped by the ministry in 2009 and 2010.
(Uu.A014/HAJM/S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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