Recommendation for the Eradication of Illiteracy
The progress and welfare of a country depends upon rate of literacy. The rate of literacy in advanced countries like Japan, America, 'Britain, Russia and a majority of European countries have high literacy rate up to 96% whereas the literacy rate of Pakistan is much less even than these of developing countries. It is about 40% according to the census of 1998. It means that there will be 90 million people illiterate in 2005 in the total population of Pakistan which is an alarming situation.To come out of this dire problem, the literacy problem should be solved to make the speed of progress fast. The following suggestions if attended to in earnest may go a long way in solving this problem rapidly to enable the country to cope with the speed of world progress in this future :
1. Increase in number of primary schools :
This number should be increased in urban and rural societies though in urban areas, many private schools have been set up to impart education but these are expensive and poor people cannot afford fees and other expenses. It is necessary, therefore, to open such schools in public sector. As a proposal in this regard is to subsidize the private sector with restrictions not to charge high fees and instead of opening new schools in public sector, private sector be associated by giving grants for staff salary and maintenance in a proper proportion to lessen the burden on private sector to enable it to restore normal fees. Actually this was the practice prior to nationalization of schools when grants were given to private schools to enable them to keep the standard and of education and to charge the fee from students as prescribed by the grant sanction authority of the education department. This Was a good via media of association of privately managed schools with govt. sector schools to keep the standard of education as better like as that of good schools.
2. Betterment in schools’ infrastructure :
In rural areas, schools are without buildings and furniture and other furniture necessary to continue education by the students in schools. Even some urban schools also fall under this category. Necessary facilities are to be provided if better results of primary education are to be achieved by the Govt. of Pakistan.
3. Free and compulsory education :
Provision of free basic education along with free books is a good step but lack of teachers has failed this facility that has been started with a large expenditure. At present, 35% posts of teachers are lying vacant. Urban and until teachers are not provided and posted where needed, free education and free books will not yield any fruitful results.
4. Encouragement of private sector :
According to the economic condition of Pakistan, there is a great potential if encouragement to private sector is provided in terms of grants for lessening of fees and increasing the infrastructure requirements of schools subject to the restriction to be followed by the private sector and strict vigilance on the part of the education department for any deviation. This will be accepted by the private sector in its own interest and the interest of the country.
5. Special emphasis on female education :
Female education is a requisite for fighting with illiteracy from the very care that may lessen illiteracy perhaps never so possible but to have it with the female education. The reason is that it is the mother who affects the early training of the child to give him sense of right a wrong and this is only possible with the education of females. The female education holds a bright future for the eradication of illiteracy because of being the first step to eradicate this problem. Women prove best teachers for children as being another form of mother behaviour available to the children instead of behaviour of male teachers with the children. Co-education at the primary level saves the double expenses on boys and girls schools. This has further advantage of lessening the tendency of children for leaving the schools and thus literacy rate will improve.
6. Encouragement of intelligent students and diligent teachers :
In view of the philosophy of reward and punishment, intelligent students and diligent teachers are to be awarded in the form of cash and certificate awards to promote a feeling of hard work and competition among students and teachers as well. This is especially necessary in the environment and circumstances of
Pakistan where apart to professional ethics is going to take root just because of non-recognition of quality work and rather discouragement for such quality works. Psychologically teachers being‘part of the society have been degraded in the respect and regard on the part of the society whereas players of games artists are awarded large sums and other valuable gifts just to appreciate their efforts.
7. Effective promotion of distance education :
With the advancement of mass media, communication facilities have been increased to an unimaginative limit to the extent of making this world a global village, especially in the field of mass media. Internet and TV and special audio visual means of hearing and seeing all what happens all over the world just as village people know about the incidents of their village. This facility has opened a field for rapid, effective and highly professional arts and skills to bring to the threshold of almost every door in the whole world. A highly professional and experienced professor can give lecture on TV and Internet his valuable life-long research results to the world in no time without any cost or with small cost as compared to acquisition of that knowledge in a formal way.
It has afforded chances of rapid reach of education of almost all levels to the people having the need of it with less expense and less trouble. Distance learning or education has opened a field for all countries, especially for Pakistan if the govt. wants to make it effective, well-organized, supervised and result-oriented. Even primary education programmes can be supplemented with the help of educationists by asking them to address and present some effective lessons like correct writing Urdu alphabets pronunciation of words at the grass root level of this stage combined with the cooperation and assistance of less trained and experienced teachers sitting in the schools of rural areas at fixed times with their classes. Hundred of ways can be devised to implement the spirit of scheme effectively and positively. There is no death of experts but the difficulty lies with proper and effective planning on the part of the authorities concerned and association with these schools.
8. Social campaign against illiteracy :
Whatever the detail has been given above is just to fight illiteracy well and with organized efforts by removing the cases that hinder this campaign.
There is no doubt that no campaign in the social field yields good results unless the people of society do not cooperate and to achieve this cooperative part of a society, a motivation and a stimulation is required. In this age of mass media, the efforts can be effective through films, dramas and other debating forums to
make the people aware of the importance of literacy by making fun of illiterate persons in a constructive way as to create willingness for literacy. Even the lowest services like driving licenses should be conditioned with at least some literacy on one point of a driver.
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