950806

PM's literacy commission

Japan to provide

Rs 777m to raise

literacy rate

QUETTA: The Chairman of prime minister's Literacy Commission, Pervaiz Saleh said here on Sunday that Japan has committed to provide an amount of Rs. 777 million to Pakistan to enhance literacy rate in the country.

Talking to newsmen he said that the Federal government and the provinces would be required to provide only 20 percent of the total amount for education project while the remainder would be provided by the Japanese government. This amount would be spent by the Prime Minister's Commission to help expand the education base from grass root level.

Pervaiz Saleh, who is here to attend the inter-provincial education ministers' conference said that he had been given important task by the prime minister who along with 105 other countries of the world are committed to raise the literacy rate in their respective countries. He said he had been given the task to raise the literacy rate from existing 35 to 70 percent by the year 2000.

The chairman said that the task given to the commission was gigantic but if there was dedication and will, there should be absolutely no reason that we could not achieve the target. He pointed out that Pakistan stood at 11th position from the bottom when it comes to education in the world.

He said that without raising the standard of education we could not develop and improve the over all socio-economic conditions of the people nor we could dream to become the 'Asian Tiger'.

The chairman spoke at length about the strategies being adopted to achieve the desired goals which aims at promoting the primary education, enhancing the female literacy rate and tackles with the non-formal education sector. Rural education gets the top priority and it is here where we would concentrate, he mentioned.

The commission work in a very systematic manner, we operate from the grass root level and strongly believed that the education projects be undertaken by the community itself.

The other important areas where the commission would operate in a big way in the non-formal education sector we would tap that segment of society which could not get formal education or had skipped education on account of various factors.

The chairman, stated that "when I talk of spreading the light of knowledge, I do not mean of making an individual able to scribble a signature or write his name, rather our aim is to groom him to the level where he could either earn a decent livelihood after getting education or he is at least in a position where he does not have to depend on others.

Saleh categorically stated that we would not allow 'Sifarish' in the appointments of teachers at any cost as incompetent teachers would no way serve our cause.

He informed, that there are around 15 items on the agenda, including a proposal to set up three more universities in the country, check the issuance of bogus education certificates and of course raising the education standard.

Saleh said that in the next six months people would Inshallah see a major breakthrough in education.-APP