Literacy in Pakistan

Literacy in Pakistan is a key for social-economic progress. The literacy rate in Pakistan has seen gradual improvement over the past few decades, but it remains a significant challenge. According to recent data, the overall literacy rate in Pakistan is estimated to be around 60-65%^[1], with notable gender disparities. The literacy rate for males is generally higher than that for females, particularly in rural areas, where access to education is more limited. Several factors contribute to low literacy rates, including poverty, cultural barriers, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of quality education in certain regions. Efforts to improve literacy have been made through various government and NGO initiatives, but achieving universal literacy remains a long-term goal. Enhancing educational opportunities, especially for girls, and addressing regional disparities are crucial steps toward improving Pakistan's literacy rate^[2].

The definition of literacy has been undergoing changes, with the result that the literacy figure has vacillated irregularly during the various censuses. A summary is as follows:^[3]

Unit[19]	1990	1995	2000	2005	2010	2012	2015	2018
Azad Jammu & Kashmir	3.78	4.59	5.42	7.47	7.22	7.35	6.92	6.51
Balochistan	1.77	2.15	2.53	3.49	3.25	3.14	3.17	3.10
FATA	1.42	1.73	2.04	2.81	2.71	2.69	2.60	2.45
Gilgit-Baltistan	2.01	2.44	2.88	3.97	3.84	3.80	4.59	5.17
Islamabad (ICT)	4.16	5.05	5.96	8.21	9.67	10.70	9.62	8.34
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	1.83	2.22	2.62	3.62	3.80	3.97	3.95	3.82
Punjab	1.96	2.38	2.81	3.88	4.44	4.85	5.23	5.41
Sindh	2.43	2.95	3.48	4.79	5.19	5.51	5.35	5.05
Pakistan	2.28	2.77	3.27	4.51	4.68	4.85	5.09	5.16

Pakistan literacy rate is lower than other neighbours of it in South Asia at 62.8 percent. The second lowest in South Asia after Afghanistan which has 37% The male literacy rate is 73 percent and the female literacy rate is 52.84 percent. The female literacy rate drops to twenty-five percent in rural areas of Pakistan including Waziristan and Tharparkur . Girls' school enrollment also significantly drops in the rural areas of Pakistan. The enrollment rate for girls in rural areas is only twenty percent in grade school. Sixty-five percent of Pakistan's population is made up of rural citizens. Citizens in Pakistan face issues that affect their quality of life. Issues such as illiteracy are linked to poverty and lack of basic needs. Feudalism and patriarchy leadership has kept females especially from receiving adequate education.^[20]

Parents with lower literacy skills struggle to understand health recommendations that can affect the development of their children. Malnutrition is a problem for children of parents who do not have a formal education status. Uneducated parents may not know the necessary proper nutrition needed for their children to adequately grow and develop. Malnutrition is associated with mothers who are illiterate and unaware of correct feeding practices.^[21] There are several factors that contribute to the low education levels in Pakistan. Among the primary catalysts are unemployment, poverty, lack of awareness, teachers' absenteeism, a scarcity of quality educational institutions, and insufficient government oversight of educational institutions.^[22]

In a study published by the Research Journal of Commerce, Economics, and Social Sciences, discusses the importance of education. The study compares Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. Education plays a huge role and is a crucial tool for overall improvement in well-being. Education helps jobs, upholds social justice and equity, social and self-awareness, and open mindedness. Education is one of the most important contribution a country can offer its citizens in the hopes of inequality and poverty. Education has a very positive effect on human life. In any society education plays such a basic role and without education we cannot imagine a life. This study found that there are many differences in culture in Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan as well as resources within the country are also very different. The data reveals that the literacy rate of Indonesia is 90%, Malaysia is 89% and Pakistan is 62.8%, which is significantly lower in compared to the other two countries. In comparison to these other two countries, Pakistan has the more poverty and inequality within its country. It only makes sense that it has the lowest literacy rate because of this. If Pakistan's literacy rates were to go up, their poverty and inequality within their country would hopefully go down, creating a better society and more beneficial country.^[23]

• Muhammad Iqbal's educational philosophy
• List of administrative units of Pakistan by Human Development Index
• List of special education institutions in Pakistan
• Lists of educational institutions in Pakistan
• Right to Education Pakistan

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3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Choudhry, Munir Ahmed (2005). Pakistan: where and who are the world's illiterates? (Report).
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5. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "Copy of Statistical Profile2.cdr" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
6. ^ ^{a b} "Pakistan". CENSUS. Archived from the original on 24 May 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
7. ^ Husain, Fazal; Qasim, Muhammad Ali (2005). "Inequality in the Literacy Levels in Pakistan: Existence and Changes Overtime". South Asia Economic Journal. 6 (2): 251–264. doi:10.1177/139156140500600206.
8. ^ "AJK literacy rate 1981 census – Google Search". 1988. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
9. ^ Human Rights Watch: "With Friends Like These..." – Human Rights Watch – Google Books. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
10. ^ Dr Pervez Tahir. "Education spending in AJK". The Express Tribune.
11. ^ ^{a b} "DAWN.COM | Education | Education in Gilgit and Baltistan". 26 June 2010. Archived from the original on 26 June 2010.
12. ^ "TABLE 12 : LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023" (PDF).
13. ^ "TABLE 12 : LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023" (PDF).
14. ^ "TABLE 12 : LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023" (PDF).
15. ^ "TABLE 12 : LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023" (PDF).
16. ^ "TABLE 12 : LITERACY RATE, ENROLMENT AND OUT OF SCHOOL POPULATION BY SEX AND RURAL/URBAN, CENSUS-2023" (PDF).
17. ^ "Historically & Geographically". District Government Umerkot. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
18. ^ "Nankana becomes district". Dawn. Pakistan. 10 May 2005. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
19. ^ "Mean years schooling – Global Data Lab". globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
20. ^ Latif, Amna (7 October 2009). "A Critical Analysis of School Enrollment and Literacy Rates of Girls and Women in Pakistan". Educational Studies. 45 (5): 424–439. doi:10.1080/00131940903190477. S2CID 145433706.
21. ^ Khattak, Umme K; Iqbal, Saima P; Ghazanfar, Haider (5 June 2017). "The Role of Parents' Literacy in Malnutrition of Children Under the Age of Five Years in a Semi-Urban Community of Pakistan: A Case-Control Study". Cureus. 9 (6): e1316. doi:10.7759/cureus.1316. PMC 5498125. PMID 28690950.
22. ^ "Literacy rate in Pakistan". The Nation. 2018-02-07. Retrieved 2023-07-18.
23. ^ Khan, Farah; Haseeb, Muhammad (15 June 2017). "Analysis of teacher training education program: A comparative study of Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan". Paradigms. 11 (1): 13–17. doi:10.24312/paradigms110103.

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