Distance education and rural development in Pakistan

Pakistan is the sixth most populous country on the globe and the second largest country in South Asia with a population of 109363831.29 people living in rural areas according to the World Bank report 2012; having a literacy rate of 44 percent overall (58 percent for men and 29 percent for women). This alarming situation of literacy is a result of low financial priority to education as well as of ill-conceived policies of education, particularly in rural zones. To ensure substantial development in rural areas, during the past few decades, a range of cohesive steps have been taken at both governmental and non-governmental levels. Among them is one of the most important factors: the distance education.
Distance education is referred to as an institution-based formal education where the learning group is separated and interactive telecommunication systems are used to connect learners, resources and instructors. Apart from the obvious purpose of teaching more people more effectively, distance learning systems have been used to impress donors, placate ministers, justify consultancies and even sell technologies.
Many institutes in Pakistan are steadily increasing their capacity to engage in distance learning and appropriate technological innovations are being used in this context. Since 1986, the Women’s Secondary Education Programme of Allama Iqbal Open University has been providing the rural women with courses to meet secondary school equivalency and to increase income generating opportunities through building practical skills. Pakistan Institute of Modern Study is a countrywide institute to promote distance education and give competency based, skill oriented and non-academic certification and diplomas in the field of research, management, computer, information technology, technical and vocational education to assist under privileged communities in making necessary socio-economic changes.
As a matter of fact, distance education has proved as a catalyst behind rural development. The distance learning and educating models and practices must be more adapted to the social, cultural, political and economic circumstances of the learners and their environment. It is also worth suggesting that there must be an integration of gender analysis into the planning and implementations of distant learning initiatives.
SAMAN ZAHRA
ISCS, PU, Lahore