ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: It is obligatory for the federal government to fulfill its global commitment of improving literacy rate of the country and 18th amendment does not free the central government from the same, was the unanimous voice raised by the stakeholders in a meeting relating literacy.

The National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) held a consultative meeting of stakeholders here on Tuesday to develop a national movement on literacy, and recommended enactment of legislation by federal, provincial and district governments on the pattern of Literacy Act 1987 to achieve the target of total literacy.

It was also recommended that legislation should be enacted to make the funds allocated for the promotion of adult literacy, non-transferable and non-lapsable. At the same time allocation for literacy should be increased substantially.

The meeting recommended that organizational structure at national and provincial level should be established for coordination, resource mobilization, policy and planning, research and training, curriculum development, accreditation, equivalence and monitoring/evaluation of literacy and non-formal education programmes.

All stake holders were of the view that universities should come forward to play a greater role in research, training, curriculum development and material development for literacy programmes. Literacy programmes should be integrated with skill-based community development programmes.

Stakeholders from federal and provincial institutions participated in the meeting and praised the role of NCHD in developing a very cost-effective and dynamic programme and its contribution in achieving 'Education for All' (EFA) targets through its Primary Education and Literacy Programmes.

Representative from Sindh Education Foundation, Rehana Mugnai said that it is binding on the federal government to honour its global commitment of improving literacy rate of the country. She said there is no programme in the provinces for adult literacy and it is really embarrassing for the whole Pakistani nation that about half of the population cannot write their names.

Nasira Habib from Khoj said that the eighteenth amendment has not stopped anyone to work on literacy. There should be a forum at federal level to achieve 86 per cent literacy rate in the country.

She also emphasized on the enhanced role of provinces with respect to 18th constitutional amendment and was of the opinion that the task is gigantic and is hard to attain without the contribution of the federal government.

NCHD Director General, Zulfiqar Ahmad said that the world map of poverty largely coincides with the map of illiteracy. Pakistan has 50 million illiterates and the major victims of illiteracy are women. Changing that image will require far-reaching reforms, he said.

At present, about half of population of ten years and above in Pakistan is illiterate. Two third rural women cannot read and write. In certain under developed districts and disadvantaged segments of the society, literacy rate is alarmingly low. With respect to literacy, Pakistan is lagging behind other countries of the region, he said.