ISLAMABAD: National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) Chairperson Razina Alam Khan has said that the Pakistan Economic Survey 2017-18 reflects total number of enrollments at national level during 2016-17 at 48.062 million as compared to 46.223 million during 2015-16 which shows a growth of 3.97 percent and is estimated to further rise to 50.426 million during 2017-18.
She was addressing to the 50th commission meeting of NCHD here on Friday. The meeting was attended by commission members Dr Sono Khangrani, Saba Gul Khattak, representative from Ministry of Federal Education, and senior management of NCHD.
The NCHD chairperson said that the education was the passport and guarantee to the future and development of the nation and tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. “We should all pay attention for educating our children so that we could build the foundation of a bright future.” She said that the main hope for the development of nation lies in the proper education and skill development of our youth.
She said that constitution protects the rights of all the children for free and compulsory education between the ages of 5-16 years and enhances adult literacy. “Our formal system includes public institutions and private institutions, whereas 31 percent educational institutes are run by private sector while 69 percent are in public sector,” she added.
She said that unfortunately a stark disparity between male and female literacy rates was observed. According to the Pakistan Economic Survey, 2017-18, the literacy rate for entire Pakistan, including ten years old and above is 58 percent, she added.
The national net enrollment for primary level for overall Pakistan stood at 54 percent while Punjab leading the rest with 59 percent, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 53 percent, Sindh by 48 percent and Balochistan 33 percent, she said.
She said they were observing low learning, a dearth of trained teachers, outdated syllabus, and poor planning for implementation of programs in education system in the provinces according to their needs, adding, regional differences are also a major cause for a poor educational system in the country.
Besides main programmes, NCHD practiced literacy in jails for prisoners, mainstreaming of Madrassa by introducing primary education there along with religious education, the establishment of National Training Institute (NTI), piloting of Non-formal Schools in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), she added.