Federal Minister for Education, Lieutenant General Javed Ashraf Qazi (Retd) said that major education reforms process has been completed, which will be implemented from September next year and literacy rate in the country will be over 60 percent at the end of 2008.
He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Second Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF) at Karachi Expo center on Wednesday. Provincial Minister for Education and Literacy, Dr Hamida Khuhro, convenor Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association Iqbal Salaeh Mohammad, Chairman Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association Aziz Khalid and Professor Ishtiaq Ahmed from Sweden also spoke on the occasion.
He said that literacy rate in the country is increasing gradually and according to authentic figures, the present literacy rate is 53 percent which was 44 percent in 1998 and at the end of the 2008 it will cross 60 percent. The Minister said that curricula of all the classes are being revised according to the national requirements and the present-day challenges
"This is wrong that we have abolished the Jihad topic from our textbooks, Jihad is still in the syllabus but is now limited to Islamiat, he said. Continuing he said that to improve the quality of education, examination of the ninth and Matric would be combined from 2008 all over the country. The government is undertaking steps to improve the academic standard and promote educational facilities in the country and revision of curriculum is a part of this agenda, he added.
Ashraf Qazi also appreciated the organisers of book fair and said such event help foster the reading habit. KIBF is being organised by the Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association (PPBA) in association with the National Book Foundation and Event and Conference International.