September 08, 2005

Islamabad: Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) has called for a mass literacy drive to reduce illiteracy in Pakistan and reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However the race to achieve higher enrollment rates is likely to lower the quality of education. The government must allocate more resources to improve the quality of education. This was stated by Mian Abrar Hefeez, Secretary General CRCP, on World Literacy Day (WLD).

World Literacy Day is observed every year on September 8, and this year the focus of the day is on “literacy for sustainable development” as a pledge to get universal literacy, as stipulated in Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Mian Abrar Hafeez said that illiteracy is one of the main bottlenecks in way of sustainable development process in all developing countries. But the status of literacy and education in Pakistan is among the lowest in the world both in term of quality and ratio. The literacy rate is dismally low, only 53 percent which is 65 percent for male and only 40 percent for female. The quality of education is another main concern and Pakistan has been ranked last out of 14 Asian Pacific countries in a report, titled “Must Do Better” by the Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education. The report highlights that only 54.7 percent children have access to early childhood care and education, 59.7 percent to primary education, and 23.9 percent to secondary schools. Contrary to the government claims, this report figures the literacy rate only 41.1 percent in Pakistan.  

Mian Abrar Hafeez appreciated the role being played by different institutions for the promotion of literacy and education in Pakistan such as Education Sector Reforms Assistance (ESRA) and “Education For All” programme. He hoped that a research based approach to the problem of illiteracy can tackle the issue and bring the much needed attitudinal changes in the society in realization of importance of education and literacy.

Mian Abrar Hafeez demanded for a mass literacy drive and stressed on the continuity of reforms in the field of literacy based on quality education.

CRCP Calls for Mass Literacy Drive to Meet MDGs