Federal Minister for Education, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani on Friday termed education as essential for creating peace and democratic stability in the country and lead the nation towards progress and prosperity. He was addressing the certificate distribution ceremony held to award mothers who have acquired skills to read and write under family literacy programme arranged by Children's Global Network.
The ceremony was organised by Ministry of Education in collaboration with USAID at a school here. The minister said that education is the right of every individual and brings poverty in ones life. It helps to eradicate poverty, reduce death rate, control population and eliminate gender discrimination.
Adult literacy rate has increased slowly and gradually in the last few years and the present government is also committed to raise literacy rate by achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education For All (EFA). The curriculum is being revised to raise education standards to international level.
The government is also taking steps to train teachers with new teaching techniques and computer technology. According to the new education policy, religious education, national theory, human rights, environment, disaster management, HIV AIDS and inter-religious harmony will be part of curriculum. He said that it is decided that examination system will be revamped and National Education Assessment System will assess students' ability of learning.
"Our party has proposed the new educational policy that equal opportunities should be provided to every individual for quality education and education budget should be increased for achieving goal of Universal Primary Education in the country," the minister said.
For improving quality education in the country, the minister said, Family Literacy Programme of Children's Global Network (CGN) is a novel project that arranged education facility for the illiterate members of less salaried families. Inter-generational literacy programme in accordance with global education system promoted democratic values and critical thinking among children and adults, he said. USAID Deputy Mission Director, Joseph Williams said.
"The family is the most powerful influence on a children's ability to succeed." "When the parents are literate, they have much more ability to instruct children in basic and complex concepts; they can read safety warnings, instructions, and general news items. Overall, literate parents are better able to prepare their children for lifelong learning", he added. Children's Global Network in collaboration with the Ministry of Education marked a new start in the lives of more than 2,500 parents from 189 centres in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Karachi.