Pakistan is unlikely to achieve the targets of 'Education for All' (EFA) programme due to financial constraints, ill-planning, high dropout rate, lack of capacity building of stakeholders, poor implementation and rampant poverty that has widened the literacy illiterate gap.
Pakistan is one of the 28 countries that are unlikely to achieve EFA goals, echoed during a recently concluded regional meeting on 'Literacy Initiatives for Empowerment', organised by Unesco.
A majority of the literacy programs launched by the government failed to yield results mainly because of being ill-planned or poorly implemented. The government was also facing resistance at grass-roots levels in establishing literacy centres and non-formal basic education (NFBE) schools in rural areas.
Though representatives from federal and provincial education departments made their presentations on the initiatives so far taken by their respective governments in this regard, they conceded privately that the government did not seem serious about meeting the targets.
Poor planning of projects, appointments on political grounds, and ineffective implementation were some of the major hurdles which have responded negatively.
According to government figures, about 6 million children of 6 to 9 years of age were out of schools while 52 million of 10 plus age were illiterate. Dropout rate at primary level is 40-45 percent, which is considered high.
"So far we have been able to open only 13,000 literacy centres, out of 240,000 planned, with Rs 2 billion funds. We were promised Rs 29.6 billion annually," sources said.
"However, the government recently provided Rs 2 billion to National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) for opening remaining literacy centres. The amount was not enough. The plan was not substantiated by financial assistance required for its implementation.
"We are also far behind to be at par with other neighbouring countries in primary education," they added.
The international donors were expected to contribute Rs 253 billion, out of the promised Rs 430 billion, for EFA, but they have not fulfilled their commitments. Sources said that the major funding agencies like Unicef, Asian Development Bank and World Bank were focussing only on primary education for girls.
They said that the EFA was not given due importance and, therefore, it lacked sincere efforts, which were required before undertaking this gigantic task.
"We were provided only Rs 3 billion each by the federal, NWFP and Punjab governments, whereas we required Rs 16.58 billion for Phase-1 from 2001-02 to 2005-06 for establishing literacy centres and Rs 36.85 billion to meet their expenditure," sources said.
Moreover, it lacked co-operation by the provinces which wanted funds under the EFA plan but were not ready to allow the federal government monitoring.
"Realisation and awareness about the importance of education, a clear-cut policy and its effective implementation was urgently needed to bring about positive change in the existing education system, else education would become a saleable commodity and those who could afford get quality an education," education expert said.
"Special emphasis should be placed on primary education and present education system should be revamped so as to meet the future requirements, besides ensuring quality and affordable education to all," they added.
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