About 30% of Pakistanis illiterate
Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari has said that at least 50 million Pakistanis out of around160 millions total population cannot read or write, according to local media reports on Monday.
"This state of affairs demands a review of our development priorities and re-examination of our strategies," the president said in his message on the International Literacy Day to be observed on Sept. 8.
"Pakistan is lagging behind the most of the countries of the region in the areas of literacy and primary education," Zardari said.
According to the Human Development Index (HDI), Pakistan is ranked 136 out of 179 countries of the world.
"We have, so far, been able to make little progress in changingthe situation," the president admitted.
He strongly recommended legislation by the Parliament to recognize and declare "free primary education" a fundamental human right in the Constitution of Pakistan.
Zardari proposed the formation of a high level National Literacy Council to ensure that a well coordinated and effective literacy drive is launched throughout the country.
Zardari urged the educational planners to adopt a multi-pronged strategy for eradication of illiteracy and provision of basic education to all: children, youth and adults.
Meanwhile, MirHazar Khan Bijarani, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Education, has renewed commitment of the government to achieve literacy rate of 86 percent by 2015, the official news agency APP reported.