Markus Makur, Timika – Papua has the seventh highest rate of illiteracy in Indonesia, with 200,000 people aged 12 to 45 years unable to read. In addition, more than 350,000 people over the age of 45 and living in rural areas in Papua cannot read and write.

Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu said recently the province needed an education program designed for people in rural areas to help them learn to read.

Speaking from Mimika, Suebu said the United Nations had promised to eliminate illiteracy universally through its Millennium Development Goal program.

He said the problem of illiteracy in Papua was a vicious circle "similar to the problems regarding poverty, ignorance, diseases and backwardness".

And it would take a lot of hard work and a strong will to change the statistics, he said.

The governor promised recently his office would prioritize primary education and provide suitable salaries to teachers in remote areas.

Suebu said a strong will was also needed to develop the minds of Papua's citizens. He said his office was initiating a primary education program in rural and remote areas and was focused "on eradicating illiteracy".

"It must be implemented with clear programs and concepts as well as findings by the provincial, mayoralty and regency administrations for the sake of improving education standards," Suebu said.

One program to immediately take effect would be the building of infrastructure, schools and supporting facilities in rural areas.

The Papua administration has declared the initiation of an education program in rural areas and said it will be called the Rural Development Program.

"First though we will carry out a nutrition improvement program in villages in the hope that people will be better nourished to take part in the education programs," Suebu said.

"People should be provided with balanced food and nutrition so they can take part in the programs for the sake of their own welfare."

The Papua provincial administration said it would also implement health programs in rural areas.

In addition, it has promised to train 1,000 midwives, build better-equipped community health centers and employ properly-paid medical workers in remote villages.