Hundreds of Karimun Residents are Illiterate

Advancement of education and information technology in the era of globalization was still not enjoyed by most people in Karimun regency, Riau Islands Province, Indonesia. Hundreds of residents in the regency still Illiterate.

Generally, the Residents who are illiterate in Karimun regency live on the coast, especially among Akit tribal who work as fishermen and still poor.

Chairman of the Community Learning Center (PKBM) Sinar Bangsa, Novi Ujiani said about 300 residents Akit tribe living in Setimbul Gulf, Pasir Panjang Village, Meral District, Karimun regency literacy.

''They are illiterate and far behind in education,'' Novi Ujiani said.

PKBM Sinar Bangsa is a non-formal educational institutions that implement programs for poverty illiteracy among the people of Karimun. Until now, the number of illiterate people who learn reading and arithmetic are still very small.

''residents from Akit tribe who follow the program about 40 people. Many are reluctant to learn because it works as fishermen,'' she said.

Vice Chairman of the Forum PKBM of Karimun Raja Zuriantiaz said the number of illiterate people in District of West Kundur, Karimun regency reached 400 people.

''The amount is not included in other districts, such as Kundur, North Kundur and Moro. We estimate the number of illiterate people even more,''he said.

Still many people are illiterate, according to him because of the low interest of local governments in support of illiteracy alleviation program.

''So far, the budget for education for illiterate people out of funds 'blockgrant' from the central government. From the local government does not exist, even though illiteracy alleviation program is an effort to educate the public,''he said.

He said the non-formal educational institutions are not able to implement poverty alleviation programs are illiterate because they do not have the funds.

"The Institution does not have a formal education program for the alleviation of adult illiteracy,'' he said.

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