Imagine you’re in a foreign land — a place where no one speaks your language and you’re trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B. You are staring at a signpost but it is written in a language you do not understand. Such experiences can be frustrating, making basic tasks feel like a challenge. Now take a step back and imagine this happening in Pakistan, every single day.

A few weeks ago, a research team set out on a mission: to ask random individuals to read, but it wasn’t as simple as it sounds. They had to read a simple sentence in a language not commonly spoken in Pakistan. For this exercise, the team used Arabic and French and asked people in Islamabad, as well as other cities, to identify the language and read the sentence.

Out of those who participated, at least 90 percent could not identify one of the languages, nor could they understand what was written. Imagine the participants’ shock when told what the sentence was in English and Urdu: ‘I can read this, but I cannot understand it.’

In that moment, their expressions spoke volumes. While participants experienced the feeling of unfamiliarity with a language and the resulting perplexity, they were also made to realise they belong to a select few who can read and comprehend content — in Urdu or English. The concerning state of literacy in Pakistan stands starkly before us.

On the occasion of International Literacy Day on September 8, Pakistan needs to acknowledge that it is imperative to make reading culture a national priority

The Reading Crisis

The ability to read and understand is not a privilege known to many. For example, 77 percent of Pakistani children aged 10 are unable to read and understand English. This number is 18.3 percent higher than the average for the South Asia region and 16.6 percent higher than the average for lower middle-income countries.

The statistics for Urdu remain unavailable, indicative of the lack of the mechanism to reveal the exact magnitude of the children’s learning struggles in the national language.

With more than 23 million children out of school, forming a significant portion of the learning poverty statistic, the dilemma of poor reading levels extends beyond that, indicating a ‘National Reading Emergency’.

Back in June, education experts and key stakeholders got together at The Learning Conference to address the country’s learning crisis. One of the main commitments centred around reading and focused on two primary goals: a) the integration of a one-hour reading session for all children in primary schools and b) the implementation of a nationwide/ province-wide reading assessment to accurately and timely measure children’s reading levels.

On the occasion of International Literacy Day, it is, therefore, imperative that we reflect on the current state of learning, recognise the significance of reading as a foundational skill and create a roadmap that makes the enablement of a reading culture a national priority.

Why Focus on Reading?

Reading is central to education. It not only serves as an indicator of the status of children’s learning levels but also plays a vital role in developing key skills and competencies. The formative and the first three years of a child in school are instrumental in building capacity to interpret written symbols for their native language.

If reading skills are not developed by that time, building anything on top can be extremely difficult. It’s concerning to note that only 15 percent of children in Class 3 can read a simple story in Urdu/ Sindhi/ Pashto, according to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2021 (Rural) report.

Evidence from India demonstrates the effectiveness of a well-articulated pedagogy and evidence-based model for reading in improving children’s learning levels.

The NGO Pratham’s ‘Read India’ programme adopted a targeted and tailored teaching approach to reading and basic arithmetic. Reading alone resulted in a 51 percent increase in improvement among children (Grades 3-5) of reading at least Grade-2 texts and a 37 percent decrease in the proportion of children who could not identify any letters.

Examples can also be found in Pakistan. The Pakistan Reading Project (PRP), implemented between 2013 to 2020, claims to reach more than 1.5 million students across all four provinces and the federal territory, with significant improvements in reading observed particularly in parts of Balochistan and KP through the inclusion of local languages.

Recently, another pilot programme, initiated by the Pakistan Alliance for Math and Science (PAMS) and the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE), introduced the concept of integrating mandatory reading hours for Urdu and English across primary schools in Islamabad.

“The first-grade language curriculum assumes reading competencies that children in government schools simply do not have,” says PAMS’ Areesha Sajid. “As a result, students with no pre-primary background find themselves either playing catch-up from Day One or progressing through the system with ever-increasing learning gaps.

“A dedicated time period for reading remediation — an hour each day — has helped redraw focus to where it is needed most, on imparting basic foundational literacy skills: actually, teaching students how to read.”

Beyond Schools

A pivotal shift in approach to reading culture is needed to cultivate its relevance outside the school setting as well.

In developing this culture of reading, reshaping parents’ perspectives and encouraging them to establish the value of reading as a fundamental norm at home can yield impressive improvements in children’s learning journey.

A recent campaign, ‘Aaj Kya Seekha’ [What Did You Learn Today?], targeted at fostering increased parental engagement at home, revealed positive insights about the willingness of parents to help improve their children’s learning.

Umar Nadeem, the education advisor on the campaign says, “Schools only represent a small yet integral aspect of children’s lives. It is critical that the school experience is connected with and supported with at-home experiences, especially when it comes to prioritising learning.”

The Way Forward

The government’s dedication to enable a reading culture is a crucial initial step but the real test lies in the effective execution of this commitment. The introduction of a dedicated one-hour reading session among schools, specially primary schools, stands as a promising endeavour.

Looking ahead, we need to move beyond just understanding the problem but also solving it by thinking about the following questions: how can we mainstream reading culture in schools? What materials and resources are required to equip teachers with the right skills? What tools can be provided to parents to extend reading activities at home? What can be adopted from past projects and how can the new interventions be made sustainable?

The writer is an Associate at the Centre of Education, Skillls and Youth at Tabadlab

Correction: The print version of this article erroneously reported Areesha Sajid’s last name as Shahid. The error is regretted.

Published in Dawn, EOS, September 3rd, 2023