With the theme of "Literacy is the best remedy," International Literacy Day (ILD) was observed on Monday across the country like other parts of the globe and with a renewed pledge that all out efforts will be made for achieving the goal of 100-percent literacy.
To mark the day, seminars, debates, conferences and special functions were held in a bid to highlight the importance of the day. Addressing these functions, speakers said that around 60 percent of Pakistanis were still illiterate, therefore, the government should initiate projects to enhance the literacy level by launching different plans. They praised the government's efforts to start a campaign that will increase enrolment of the illiterates in schools.
They were of the view that conservative thinking was a great hurdle in achieving 100 percent literacy rate. They said that it was because of lack of motivation and efforts that the country had failed to achieve its targets. If literacy was measured by the mere ability of a person to write his/her name, then by that rationale, there were about 54 to 57 percent literate Pakistanis, they added.
Punjab Minister for Population Welfare Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry said here on Monday that poverty alleviation and development were possible only with the provision of modern educational facilities to all segments of the society.
Talking to different delegations of youth, which called on her in connection with the ILD, Neelam said that this century and the next century belonged to Asia just as the last two centuries belong to the West. "To take part in this march, we have to get our people ready, nearly 70 percent of our people are under-educated or illiterate," she observed.
"Youth are future of our nation and we have to provide them latest scientific education and technology. The present era of competition has made the world a global village and only those nations would lead the world as well as compete, who will get latest technology and education," she said. Neelam said that under the universal primary enrolment campaign, 1.7 million children would be enrolled in the schools, however, 100 percent children would be ensured to admit in the schools.
Billions of rupees were being provided for the provision of computers to 4,000 high schools, whereas model schools would also be established at tehsil headquarter level, in addition free air-conditioned bus service would also be provided for pick-n-drop facility to the matric level students of less developed areas in the province, she said.
The Minister maintained: "Our country of 160 million people has a vibrant economy, our growth rate is seven percent and our population is under 20 and this makes South Asia as the only large economic area that shall not face a decline in the number of people entering the labour force for the next 50 years, hence the future is ours."
She said that Rs 58.64 billion would be spent on social sector development programme, whereas Rs 30 billion had been earmarked for educational development projects and Rs 26.10 billion would be spent for the provision of healthcare facilities to the masses in the current fiscal year.
It may be mentioned that September 8 was proclaimed International Literacy Day by the Unesco on November 17, 1965. It was first celebrated in 1966. Its aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. On this day every year, the Unesco reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally.
Statistics show some 774 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 72.1 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out. According to the Unesco's "Global Monitoring Report on Education for All (2006)", South and West Asia has the lowest regional adult literacy rate (58.6 percent), followed by sub-Saharan Africa (59.7 percent), and the Arab States (62.7 percent).
Countries with the lowest literacy rates in the world are Burkina Faso (12.8 percent), Niger (14.4 percent) and Mali (19 percent). The report shows a clear connection between illiteracy and countries in severe poverty, and between illiteracy and prejudice against women. Experts say illiteracy had a direct impact on human health, as illiterate are unable to read the instructions on a medicine bottle.
"It means people are less likely to know facts about AIDS, malaria and other infectious diseases. For two thirds of the illiterate are women and girls, who often bear the burden of caring for sick members of their families, it means that they will be less likely to know about prevention and support services, and how to use life-saving medicines and other treatments," they said.