Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world, particularly for women. One major reason is social and cultural obstacles.

Girls in the rural areas face many problems in acquiring an education. Over the years, 23 policies and action plans have been introduced yet more needs to be done in the education sector.

Our constitution says: “The state of Pakistan shall remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within the minimum possible period.” Unfortunately this goal remains unmet.

The Human Development Report places Pakistan at the 136th position or just 49.90pc of its population is educated. The primary completion rate in Pakistan, given by the Data Centre of UNESCO, is 33.80pc among females and 47.18pc among males, which shows that people in the 6th largest populated country don’t give much value to education.

To address the situation, the government needs to focus on implementation instead of mere drawing of policies. Promotion of primary education is the need of the time.

Education is the only measure that can cure the instability that is faced by the state and can bring revolution through evolution by eradicating social evils.

Nabeela Kausar

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2015

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