NYAGATARE – The Minister of Education, Dr. Charles Murigande, has called on students in different schools to inculcate a reading culture among themselves during school holidays.

The Minister, made the remarks on Tuesday, during the International Literacy Day celebrations held in Rukomo Sector, in Nyagatare District.

During the occasion Dr. Murigande reminded residents gathered at Rukomo play ground that the government targets literacy levels to stand at over 85% by the year 2015 up from the current 37%  according to a  survey carried out in 2007.

"This is the target the government of Rwanda has set and we request every one’s participation for the purposes of achieving it,” he said, in a speech he delivered to residents.

The Minister observed that better literacy rates will be geared towards fighting poverty within communities. One way of attaining such goals, he said was through inculcating a reading culture among the youth.

During the celebrations, 22,000 adult learners from five sectors of the district, who had completed training, graduated with certificates.

The training was funded by the Rwanda Integrated Rural Education Programme (RIREP), a project under the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA-Rwanda).

Laban Rutare, the project manager, said RIREP has yielded the expected achievements in promoting education in the country.

He disclosed that since 2006, the project has passed out close to 23, 669 learners and a total of 339 classes for adult students will be ready by the end of September this year.

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