“Are those equal, those
who know and those who don’t know.”
It is now a universally recognized fact that mass education is a pre-requisite
for the development and prosperity of a country. The main priority of the
developing countries, in recent years has been to foster the development and
renewal of primary education and to eliminate illiteracy. Pakistan,
unfortunately, like the other under developed countries, has made little
progress in this aspect. Since independence, she continues to remain in the
group of countries with the lowest literacy rate.
The situation is especially alarming in rural areas due to social and cultural
obstacles. One of the most deplorable aspects is that in some places,
particularly northern tribal areas, the education of girls is strictly
prohibited on religious grounds. This is a gross misinterpretation of Islam, the
dominant religion in Pakistan (96 per cent of the population), which like all
religions urges men and women to acquire education.
ILLITERACY SCENARIO IN PAKISTAN:
The picture of illiteracy in Pakistan is grim. Although successive governments
have announced various programmes to promote literacy, especially among women,
but they have been unable to translate their words into actions because of
various political, social and cultural obstacles. Access to basic education is
the right of every individual. Education is the most important instrument in
enhancing human capabilities, and in achieving the desired objectives of
economic development. Education enables individuals to make informed choices,
broaden their horizons and opportunities and to have a voice in public
decision-making. It is one of the most important factors that act as a
counterweight to social and economic mobility imposed by cultural and historical
biases. Education is a vehicle of nation building through which a nation’s
shared interpretation of history and cultural values are reproduced across
generations. At the country level, education means strong economic growth due to
productive and skilled labor force. At the individual level, education is
strongly correlated to higher returns in earning and a more informed and aware
existence. The emerging global scenario offers immense opportunities and
challenges, and only those nations can benefit from it, which have acquired the
required knowledge base and skills.
There are 163,000 primary schools in Pakistan, of which merely 40,000 cater to
girls. According to UNICEF, 17.6 per cent of Pakistani children are working and
supporting their families.
Official statistics released by the Federal Education Ministry of Pakistan give
a desperate picture of education for all, especially for girls. The overall
literacy rate is 46 per cent, while only 26 per cent of girls are literate.
Independent sources and educational experts, however, are skeptical. They place
the overall literacy rate at 26 per cent and the rate for girls and women at 12
per cent, contending that the higher figures include people who can handle
little more than a signature. There are 163,000 primary schools in Pakistan, of
which merely 40,000 cater to girls. Of these, 15,000 are in Punjab Province,
13,000 in Sindh, 8,000 in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) and 4,000 in
Baluchistan.
CAUSES OF ILLITERACY IN PAKISTAN:
1) Half-hear ted planning and management of literacy and continuing education.
2) Limited budget.
3) Lack of reliable statistics and research researchers.
4) Weak community participation.
5) Lack of multimedia material.
6) Lack of special skilled textbook writers.
7) Poor follow up of program mes.
8) In-service teachers do not take such work seriously.
9) Dependence on foreign aid.
10) Dropout rate is high.
11) Over-crowded classrooms.
12) Panacea of private sector.
13) Outdated curriculum.
14) Problems of higher education; brain drain etc.
15) Corruption.
16) Rote learning.
17) Unfair examinations.
18) Lack of adequate facilities such as clean water, electricity etc. in the
rural schools.