ILLETERACY

58 %

37 per cent are unable to attend school, said a United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) report on
education 2019

GLOBAL ISSUE
According to data released by UNESCO, 750 million people, two-thirds of which are
women, are illiterate around the world.

Forty-five percent of the illiterate people live in South Asia, and 27 percent in sub-
Saharan Africa. While 10 percent are in East and Southeastern Asia, 9 percent live in
North Africa and West Asia.

the number of literate women when compared to literate men in a country averages
one to five.

INTRODUCTION:
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

According to UNDP's Human Development Report 2018, Pakistan is ranked 150th

out of 189 countries with the Human Development Indicator (HDI) value of 0.562
(with 1 being the maximum value). According to the educational indicators, only
Afghanistan lags behind Pakistan in the context of regional comparison.

UNESCO defines the 1958 illiteracy as the condition of a person who can neither read nor write,
tends to detect the set of skills for literacy that can be applied in functional activities typical of
everyday life,

IMPORTANCE OF LITERACY:
Every Muslim knows that the first command revealed by Allah to the Holy Prophet of
Islam Muhammad (PBUH) was ‘READ’.

CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING THE LITERACY STATUS:

The literacy status of a country is determined by the following parameters:
I. The existing level of literacy.
II. The rate on increment of new literates.
III. The volume of the education system’s output.
IV. The demographic factors engage structure, mortality and birth rate.
V. The last but not the least is the percentage of budget engaged for the education.

RAISING THE LITERACY RATE:

Countries have succeeded in raising their literacy rates by taking the following steps:
I. Universalization of primary education.
II. Providing non-formal primary education facilities for out of school youth and
dropouts.
III. Launching countrywide programmes for adults backed by political leadership.
IV. Broad involvement of various social groups, institutions, public and voluntary
organizations etc.

Economic causes
Parents prefer their children to work so that income pressure could be met easily. The
economic cause is a major cause and no research has denied this. According to a
survey conducted by the Federal Bureau of Statistics and the
National Child Labour, approximately 19 million children below 14
years of age are working as child labour in Pakistan.
DISC
large proportion of female population which remains uneducated and thus has a serious
impact on overall view of country’s literacy profile. This reason is also linked with financial
constraints. The social norms give a definite preference to the male child

Population growth is also posing a problem since the rapid population growth restricts the
literacy planning. There is a sure chance that after five years or so the population figures
become obsolete and planning needs to be revised

Quality of education at primary level is not standardized. This results in high dropout rate.
Cases have been reported with schools having teachers who are not qualified up to primary
levels.

The schools in rural areas are not well placed to cater majority of the population. So students
from far flung areas prefer to remain in their locality because they are very poor and have no
transportation means.
Rural urban issue

Poverty As of 2017, Pakistan's Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.562, significantly lower
than Bangladesh's HDI, which is 0.608.

a report submitted by Ministry of Planning and Development in the National Assembly of

Pakistan, about 29.5% Pakistani lived below the poverty line which translates into 55 million
people

budget Pakistan's public expenditure on education as percentage to GDP is

estimated at 2.4 percent in fiscal year 2018-19, which is the lowest in the region.

i. Culture:
The most common cause of illiteracy is our traditional culture based on pure
agricultural, profession in which education is not considered to be a foundation of
life. Mostly, the cultivators have been illiterate people through out centuries in the
history of our social life. It was considered that .if a boy become highly educated, he
will become useless for the farms. it means cultivation of land and education is
considered opposite concepts in our agrarian society.
ii. Agrarian Society:
Most of the people (about 68%) live in rural areas of Pakistan and majority of them
are attached with
different fields of agriculture. Some are cultivators and some are helpers to the
cultivators. Therefore, the tendency towards education is not favorite concept among
the residents of rural area. A student put to school and college is considered to be
useless for them. Moreover, they say that he will neither get employment in offices
nor he will be able to cultivate the land and thus his life shall has been destroyed.
cost of education is increases and becomes unbearable for parents as he gets
promoted.
iii. Conservative Approach:
Illiteracy rate is higher among women than men. It is evident from the fact that most
of the women
are illiterate in rural areas. The people of rural areas dislike women to be employed
in any government or private office. A woman is preferred to be a good wife, a good
mother and a good daughter, if she works within the family.

Now a change has come into the social structure of rural life that an educated girl is
liked to be married as a wife but working within the household duties. This education
is limited to school and the Holy Quran. The first question which is asked by the
parent of boy is that can the girl read the Holy Quran and is a follower of prayers and
understands the religious values?
iv. Illiterate Parents:
Most of the parents are illiterate that is why they do not like to send their children to
schools specially the daughters. In urban areas this percentage of illiteracy is also
higher among the women than that of men. The cultural value of Pakistani society
dominate both in rural and urban areas to restrict the women within the boundary of
the house.
v. Ancestral Profession:
Another important factor is that people are attached with these ancestral profession
for a long period of life and a son is expected to follow the same professional
activities which his father is doing. It is a matter of prestige to work in farms as his
ancestors used to do. It means professional activities are handed down from
generation to generation and it is considered to be a cultural tradition of the family.
vi. Low Social Contacts with Cities:
Another very important factor in illiteracy is that the people of rural areas have not
been in contact with big urban settlements. Social relations with urban life is very
important factor for bringing about change in their attitude and actions. Because the
cultivators remain busy with their lands, animals and
their crops finding little time to visit cities.
vii. Poor Transport:
Moreover transport facilities are not personal which is a hindrance is social change.
viii. Lack of Facilities:
Lack of facilities like educational and the new environment of technology important
cause of illiteracy.
ix. Unemployment:
Another very important people of rural areas see educated young men employment.
Then they think that what is the use children to schools and colleges.
x. Poor Communication Facilities:
The social relations with other people, with transportation and telephone are limited
that is why change in their attitude and behavior towards education is limited.
EFFECTS OF ILLITERACY:
1) Over-population.
2) Low-GDP and per capita income.
3) Increase unskilled labour.
4) Infant mortality and maternal mortality.
5) Political instability.
6) Poor use of natural resources.
7) Heavy international debts.
8) Child labour.
9) Poor international image.
10) Low per acre agriculture yield.
11) Halting industrial growth and less trade activities.

Impacts of illiteracy are as follows:

i. Low development of resources:
Illiteracy minimizes social relations in society which leads to less development of
resources.
ii. Barrier to Social Change:
Illiteracy is itself a barrier in the social progress among people for better standard.
Illiteracy itself is hurdle in understanding techniques for advancement and progress.
iii, Low Prestige:
An illiterate person is given less prestige while sitting with other people. He is given
only a labor work and not allowed to sit on table .and chair in offices. He is
considered to be at low class in society by the educated people because he is poor
and illiterate.
iv. Deprivation from Recreations:
Illiteracy creates deprivation among people to enjoy recreations of the society.
Illiterate person is unable to read books, magazine, articles, and other reading
materials.He cannot participate in forums and platforms of educated people.

v. Abnormal attitude and dealing:

Illiterate people are unable to deal with the social situations in a better way. In such
kind of situation, their attitude is abnormal and some times deviant too.
vi. Backwardness:
Illiteracy cerates backwardness among the people. Illiterates are unable to
understand and its solution.
vii. Poverty:
There Is a relationship between level of educational attainment and income.
Generally speaking, it is true that the more you educate the more you so earn
illiteracy creates poverty.
viii. Hamper Social Change:
Illiteracy hampers social change because illiterates do not like social change. They
want to live with their existing environment. Any change in it is resisted by them.
ix. Crime and violence:
Illiterates commit more crimes than the educated people. Educated people commit
organized crime with latest techniques which illiterate do not violent attitude is more
in illiterate than the literate persons.
x. Low quality of life:
Due to above mention point, illiterates enjoy poor quality of life, and their status in
the society is also poor.
Solution of illiteracy given below:
i. Awareness about Problem:
To bring these illiterate people into the lines of progress, advancement and change it
is necessary to aware them about problems and consequences of illiteracy as their
problem. They Should be provided information through mass media of
communication and general social contact with the educated people about impacts
of illiteracy.

ii:Attitude Change:
Illiterate people can be drained into channel of progressive people with attitude
change through Showing movies, lectures by officers and programs of literacy on
radio and television. These people can be given incentive of prize, if they take
classes of literacy in the union council offices or schools of the Village.

iii. Literacy Programs.

The literacy program includes teaching the basic Subject i the language of the
people, English, Urdu or what ever they like. This work can be done by Other
educated young men of the rural area on voluntary basis. The building is available as
school, hospital1 office and even the
mosque of the area.

iv. Free Educational Items:

Those people who attend to this literacy program can be provided stationary and
books free of cost. The time of teaching and learning can be fixed in the evening of
the completion of their work. Four to six weeks teaching is sufficient to make them
literate as to read and write the basic things of their need. This can be continued up
to another two to three weeks at their homes on their interest.

v. Increase the Importance of Education:

The people who are illiterate say that what is the use of this literacy and education
for us because we are in the last stage of our age. Our argument is based on the fact
that their literacy will be helpful to educate their children. They will feel importance of
education and will educate their children at any cost Those young men who are quite
illiterate are wasting their costly time of life without less output of their works whether
it may be in farms. The literate people can utilize new techniques of agriculture with
better results. A revolution can be brought up in rural economy and social life if
literacy percentage rises at the level of urban area. They Will be able to provide
better life and good sanitation and health occasion within their household life.

vi. Change the Mindset:

It is the mind, which changes first and then it brings changes in the total of social
life. Change of mind is the change of general social life. And the mind cannot be
changed until the education is not given to the people. Education is the injection of
change and progress. The use of radio, television”, newspapers and the mass media
of.communication are the aiding sources for the acceptance of education for
progress.

Suggestions for Improving Education System in Pakistan:

1. Free Education: As stated in article 25-A, every citizen of Pakistan

should be given free education.
2. Scholarships: Govt. should provide scholarships for higher
education.
3. Focus on the Parents: Why do I say this? because often and
especially when it comes to girls, parents are the biggest obstacle to
achieving an education. So, what do we do? we mobilize parents.
4. Practical Education: There should be an educational emergency to
prioritize Practical studies over theory. Right from the school level,
practical works should be made compulsory.
5. Career Counseling: It should be compulsory in every school in
govt. as well as the private sector.
6. Remove Ratta System: Govt. should come up with a new system
to remove cramming (Ratta) system.
7. Teachers Qualification: There must be a standard qualification to
be able to teach in schools as in majority private schools FA pass
teachers are hired.
8. Teachers Training: Teachers should be given proper training
before allowing them to teach.
9. Standard Syllabus: One syllabus should be made for country-wide
schools to avoid disparities.
10. Proper Planning: Government and Private both should sit
together and draft a master plan for the right education and
then the government should follow this plan sincerely.
11. Unity: Governments must develop partnerships with
communities, NGOs, and the private sector to delegate
responsibility effectively in order to achieve universal primary
education.
 12. Political Influence: There should no political influence in the
syllabus as nowadays, every govt. just put their leader’s praise and
history in books.
13. Student Political Parties: There should be a complete ban on
Student Political Bodies in Universities and colleges.
14. Faculty: There should be strict monitoring of faculty being hired
in government and private educational institutes.
15. Technical Training Centers: Make the vocational and technical
training centers more efficient so that skilled youth could be
produced.
16. Policy Planners: Special Policy planning units should be
established in provinces.
17. Special Grants: If needed special grants should be provided to
the provinces where the literacy rate is low.
18. Freelancing: Students must be taught the modern age digital
skills and how to utilize them through freelancing on the internet.
Pakistan is on 4th number in freelancing in the whole world. If
Pakistani students can reach this level without any proper guidance,
Imagine, If they will be given a proper training to do online
freelancing and other businesses, they can be on 1st very soon and
the economy will be boosted. Govt. must think over it.

Literacy rate trends show 62.3 percent in 2017-18 (as compared to 60.7 percent in
2014-15) with males from 71.6% to 72.5% and females from 49.6% to 51.8%. Area-
wise analysis suggests that literacy rate increased in both rural (51.9% to 53.3%)
and urban (76.0% to 76.6%). It is also observed that male-female disparity is
narrowing down with time span. Literacy rate increases in all provinces, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (54.1% to 55.3%), Punjab (61.9% to 64.7%) and Balochistan (54.3%
to 55.5%) except in Sindh (63.0% to 62.2%) where marginal decrease has been
observed

In 2018, 83% of 6-16 year old children in rural Pakistan were enrolled in schools
whereas 17% children were out of school.

The UK-based rating agency, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has released its rankings
with seven Pakistani universities making the list of the world’s top 1000
universities. Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) has
topped the list of Pakistani universities in the rankings. Ranking 375 on the QS

ANNUAL STATISTICAL REPORT- 2017-18

Drop out rate was 40 % at pri n sec level
UNITED NATION DEV PROG PAK launched its NATIONAL HUMAN DEV REPORT
which reveals that 76.9 % leave education due to financial issues.

9.45 million out of school at primary level in 2015

Prime Minister’s Youth Affairs Programme has launched the ‘Kamyab

Jawan Programme’ would focus on “3Es”: education, employment and
engagement; while implementing six flagship programmes.

Under the six flagship programmes, the first will be ‘Youth

Entrepreneurship Scheme’ as per which subsidised business loans would
be provided to young aspiring entrepreneurs for the promotion of SME
sector

Skill for All Programme’, under which technical and vocational training is
to be imparted to 150,000 youth both in conventional and high-end
technological trades

‘Startup Pakistan Programme’ under which potential young

entrepreneurs would be trained and mentored to conceive, incubate, and
mature their business plans through access to digital incubation
platforms.

Green Youth Movement (GYM)’ under which small grants are to be

provided to Pakistani youth to bring economic innovative solutions to
tackle environmental and climate crises.

Internship Programme’, would impart effective internship programmes

both for undergraduate and postgraduate students to facilitate them in
active participation in the private sector.

Jawan Markaz’, a one-stop solution for youth-related issues at the

grassroots level and it would not only provide access to sports and other
youth engagement activities but also provide them with career
counselling, mentoring and access to a host of digital services, the official
added.

The government has allocated a budget of Rs10 billion for various

programs under Prime Minister Youth Affairs Programme (PMYAP)
during 2018-19. According to a PMYAP official, the PMYAP have
successfully launched a 33-member National Youth Council to empower
youth for better livelihood and income opportunities. The programme
extended initiatives to youth of remote and rural areas, uneducated
youth, transgender youth, minorities youth and young women.

PMYAP has also planned to launch ‘PM’s Startup Pakistan’ program to

engage youth in entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem culture,

With this vision in mind, a non-profit organisation named 'Durbeen' has taken on
the mantle of imparting free higher education to individuals

A comprehensive policy is being designed and recently 5,000 children out

of 11,000 were given admission to schools in the federal capital.”

necessary amendments to “The Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act

2014” and would make sports, physical training and clean drinking water
compulsory in the schools.
We have ‘Insaf Afternoon School Program’ to provide education to out-of-
school children,”
A famous quote of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah:“EDUCATION IS
A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH FOR PAKISTAN. THE WORLD IS PROGRESSING SO
RAPIDLY THAT WITHOUT REQUISITE ADVANCE IN EDUCATION, NOT ONLY SHALL
WE LAG BEHIND OTHERS BUT MAY BE WIPED OUT ALTOGETHER.”