ISLAMABAD, Nov 8 (APP):Government has taken many initiatives for the improvement and enhancement of education in the country but still there are 57 million illiterates in the country.
“Literacy is an ability or skill that exposes an individual to new sources of information and knowledge, and empowers with the ability to express, communicate and participate in decision making processes”.
Chairperson National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), Razina Alam Khan at the Senior Management Meeting on Wednesday said, girls education is imperative for better future of the country.
“Basic education is a fundamental human right in accordance with Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), same envisaged in our constitution 25-A.
This famous article speaks about the education of all individuals with out applying any limitation of specific age group. All individuals including children, youth, and adults of both sexes are entitled to this fundamental right. This was observed by chairperson, said press release.
These illiterates’ compatriots are jeopardizing the social, economic and development process of the country, a national plan of action is required to address these illiterates, she viewed.
NCHD is formulating a National Plan of Action (2018-2025) as tasked by Planning Commission, that will chalk out a realistic action plan with appropriate programme interventions and necessary resources for achieving 90% literacy rate in the country, she informed.
She said, this plan is being drafted by National Training Institute of NCHD, which is the only national level institute on literacy and Non-formal Education compared to the 200 of formal education.
This institution is built with the aim to address the issues of weak professional base of the practitioners in the field of literacy and NFE, due to which the past literacy programs faced a failure, she added.
Sharing the achievements of National Training Institute (NTI) she said, the experts had prepared manual on Functional Literacy, Multi-grade Teaching, Community Learning Centers –CLC, and reviewed manuals of School Health Program and Functional Literacy Material developed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The workshops have been organized by NTI for Professionals of Literacy and Universal Primary Education -UPE program, she observed. NTI organized National Consultative workshop and ICT forum on NFE in collaboration with UNESCO alongwith providing technical support to the provinces for preparation of their respective literacy plans, she maintained.
Talking about the educational statistics she said that, low literacy rate is due to low primary education participation rate. Pakistan’s overall gross enrollment rate (GER) is 97% in 2017 against only 77% adjusted net enrolment rate (ANER) in 2015-16.
Male GER is 105% against 83 ANER, she informed. Whereas, female GER is 90% against 71% ANER, both GER and ANER in urban areas are considerably higher than rural areas, she added.
She briefed the participants about the working of NCHD programs including 5,949 feeder schools all over Pakistan, 6000 literacy centers being established in remote areas focusing specially for the women.
Talking about the innitiaves she said, 20 Non-formal schools established under JICA Project in Islamabad, 100 Madrasa school in seminaries of ICT, AJK, GB and FATA, Jail literacy centers, ICT forum on NFE, are functional. A transparent system of recording and reporting of these activities has been developed in the shape of Literacy Management and Information System, she further said. To access each learner of NCHD literacy program through this system is a compelling strength of this recording and reporting system, she expressed.
Talking on the occasion she said, NCHD is implementing all these projects and programs in organized and harmonious way. All these programs are closely interlinked for a real change in the indigenous societies as we want to achieve 90% literacy rate and 100% enrollment by 2025 with the help of provincial governments, INGOs, NGOs and other stakeholders, she vowed.