New Delhi, August 14: Scientist-President APJ Kalam today devoted the bulk of his Independence-day eve address to the nation on education favoring stepping up of its budget by two to three per cent of the GDP and made only a brief reference to other topics such as relations with Pakistan on which he noted the progress of the peace process.

In keeping with his concern for education of the mass of the children, he spoke of the need to think specifically about those of the weaker sections of society to realize the fundamental right of education for them.

With the rapidly changing global security environment, our nation's domains of security concerns have greatly expanded from what they were after Independence.

"Another measure of our nation's strength is the effective, firm and fair handling of a series of internal low intensity conflicts and the proxy war," he said in his address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day.

Kalam said "I note with satisfaction of our continuing efforts towards good neighborly relations, particularly the sustained progress of the peace process between India and Pakistan".

Kalam said India realized that it was essential to strengthen and restructure the United Nations to make it more purposeful.

"We cherish and advocate multi-polarity in the world order that respects the principles of sovereignty, non-intervention, freedom and democracy," he said adding that India's foreign policy was aimed at a vision that seeks to establish India, the largest democracy in the world, as a develops' country with its rightful place in the international fora.

On economy, the President noted that it has clocked an over 8 per cent GDP growth rate but sustaining it, containing the annual inflation rate and containing the revenue deficit were the other challenges for the Centre and the States.

Coming to his pet subject, Kalam said the expenditure on education as a percentage of the GDP had a direct impact on literacy.

"Today our expenditure on education in India is a little more than 4 per cent of our GDP.

If we have to achieve nearly 100 per cent literacy is it is necessary to increase expenditure on education to about 6 to 7 per cent of GDP.

"This 2 to 3 per cent increase has to be sustained only for a few years.

Thereafter, a lower percentage of GDP allocation to education will be adequate to sustain the high degree of literacy in this country for all time to come", he said.

In a novel idea, the President appealed to the entire corporate sector to emulate the example set by some corporate leaders who have focused on education to make a national difference.

Different regions, he said, may be adopted by the corporate sector within an overall national mission for education.

The mechanism should enable persons to have freedom to innovate and deliver directly.

Kalam also favored reforms system of examination, evaluation and reporting which would also be secure.

He also suggested a three-pronged strategy to make education more attractive and simultaneously create employment potential.

Kalam said there was a need to find a long-term solution to control floods and to store and utilize surplus water for usage during the dry season as also the linking of river basis.

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