RAWALPINDI, May 6: Fifty new women literacy centres have been established in the district to expand female literacy ratio in the backward areas. These centres offer a three-month course to female students in the age group of 14-40 imparting basic knowledge of English, Urdu, mathematics, Islamiyat, General Science etc.

An NGO, Umeed-i-Nau, has been hired to run these schools. The National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) will provide funding, books and other teaching implements. The NGO will monitor these schools and handle students and teachers’ affairs. The NGO has hired about 50 teachers for these centres. Half of the 50 centres have started functioning while remaining 25 will be operative in a few days, Umeed-i-Nau chairman Asim Nawaz Khan told Dawn.—Staff Reporter