September 09, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 8, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 8: Speakers at a function here on Monday stressed the need for prioritising education at all levels and adopting a holistic approach to promote literacy in the country.

The function ‘Enrolment campaign for out of school children’ was organised by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) and Unesco in connection with the International Literacy Day. Member National Assembly Nafeesa Shah, speaking as chief guest on the occasion, said it was high time the government reviewed its predecessors’ policies on education keeping in view the socio-cultural factors to encourage parents to send their children to schools.

Many factors, she said, were involved with regard to literacy rate in the country including missing facilities, short-lived programmes, absence of follow-up activities, lack of good teachers, missing link between education and development, shortage of educational institutions and ambiguous concept of literacy, she added.

MNA Nafeesa Shah urged the government to review its predecessor's policies on education with an aim to encourage parents to send their children to school.

She said as many as 50 million people in the country were still illiterate. The situation calls for a need to formulate a separate policy on literacy while taking all stakeholders on board to achieve the goals in education sector within the timeframe signed under different national and international agreements.

She also appreciated teachers, parents and donor agencies including the NCHD and Unesco for playing their role in promotion of literacy in the country.

Director-General Federal Directorate of Education Attiqur Rehman said concrete steps were being taken to enrol maximum number of children. He said within the next two years, the ministry and its partners would be able to achieve 100 per cent literacy in the capital city.

About 3,523 children were enrolled from 132 villages around Islamabad with the help of NCHD, district administration, the ministry of education and through community mobilization as part of our campaign to enrol out-of-school children, he added.

Iqbalur Rehman, Director Education, NCHD, said literacy was a matter of national security. He said the literacy programme initiated by NCHD was currently based on phonetic approach that was well received in 122 districts of Pakistan where over 120,000 adult literacy centres were established and nearly four million people were made literate.

Dr Maurice Robson, Director Unesco, delivered the message of the UN body’s head. He said literacy had to be given priority in government agendas to combat all ills of society.

He emphasised making the school environment child friendly and education a joyful experience for children.

He appreciated the government's literacy programme but hastened to add that it was not enough and there was a long way to go.

Later, some of the children who were enrolled under the campaign were given school uniforms.

Another ceremony was held at the Federal College of Education (FCE). Headed by Director, FCE, Prof Talat Khursheed, the college faculty and students held a symbolic walk.

The participants, holding banners inscribed with slogans highlighting the importance of education marched from PMDC Chowk to the college. Later, at a function in the college the speakers highlighted the importance of education in national development.