Adult Literacy in Pakistan: Quranic Literacy Project Prime Minister's Literacy Commission

COUNTRY OVERVIEW The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a Federal State comprised of four provinces, namely, Balochistan, North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Punjab and Sindh, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA); the Northern Areas are also under Federal administration. Over 97% of the population is Muslim. On Pakistan's South is Arabian sea, in South East is Iran, North is China, the West is Afghanistan and in the East is India. Social development is the main responsibility of the provinces, but also shared by the Federal government. The political system of Pakistan is a multiparty parliamentary form of democracy under the 1973 constitution. The share of females in parliament has increased from 1.6% in 1994 to 2.3% at present. Urdu is the national language, however, English is extensively used in offices and commercial circles in the cities. Climatically, Pakistan enjoys a considerable measure of variety. North and northwestern high mountain ranges are extremely cold in winter. The vast plains of the Indus valley are extremely hot in summer. The coastal strip in the South has a temperate climate. There is general deficiency in the rainfall which, on annual average, ranges from 13 cm to 89 cm. However, Pakistan is a land of many splendours, with rich cultural heritage and scenic beauty starting from the snowcapped mountains in the North to the sunny beaches in the South. National Human Resource Development Indicators 1996-97 Year of Independence Total area Estimated population (million) Annual Population growth rate (%) Average population density per sq. km People living below poverty line (million) Total villages Per capita income (US $) Unemployment rate (%) Labour force participation rate (%) Life expectancy at birth (years) Crude birth rate 1947/ Islamabad 796,096 137 2.7 156 36 50,000 440 5.3 27.46 62 36.7

Crude death rate Infant mortality rate HRD rank

9 82 159

LITERACY PROFILE AND MEMOIR Prevalent Reality: Despite strong economic growth recorded over the past decade (6% per annum) Pakistan's progress in human resource development, especially education, as well as in improving the productivity and economic opportunities for women has been disappointing. These energies could have resulted in higher rates of growth in per capita income if Pakistan had invested more in its people. Population and Educational Indicators, 1996-97: Female Population (million) Rural females (million) Percent females (10+) Adult literacy rate Illiterates (million) Primary school enrolment Drop-out rate 64 46 35 38.9 59 73 50

Educational statistics in Pakistan are lamentable. Unfortunately, meagre resources were allocated to promote education. As a result enrolment rate Adult Literacy & Education Budget Trends in Pakistan: 1990-91 1994 1997 % change 1994-97 Cumulative change 1991-97 Total 34.8% 36.8% 38.9% +2.1% +4.1% Male 47.3% 48.9% 50.3% +1.4% +3% Female 21.1% 23.5% 27% +3.5% +5.9% Urban N.A 55.6% N.A Rural N.A 26.3% N.A % of National 7.4%. 7.9% 8.1% +.2% +.7%

Budget % of GNP 2.1% 2.2% 2.69% +.4% +.5%

remained low, drop out rate is highest among female students. The education budget share is also quite low as percentage of the development budget and GNP.

Almost 67% of the population lives in rural areas, Rural areas lag behind in literacy especially women and female children, adult literacy rate for rural women is as low as 2% in some rural areas as in Balochistan. This trend is also reflected in the lower Female labour force participation rate (7.6%) and higher dependency ratio (60%). This decline & statistical imbalance is due to cultural taboos and non-availability of suitable job opportunities.

Analysis of Female Educational Parameters, 1996-97:

Population 10 + (million) 48 Gross enrolment of 10-14 (million) 1.4 Number of schools for 10-14 (thousand) 6.4 Number of teachers for 10-14 (thousand) 39 Student teacher ratio (10-14) 36:1

Participation ratio (10-14) 26%

Various Adult Literacy Projects in Pakistan:

Literacy rates vary from region to region as well as on the basis of gender distribution. Similarly, comparison between the rural urban population brings out more revealing parameters. Rural and female literacy rates have improved since 1981. Female literacy rate has remained much lower than the male literacy rate. But the gap between the two is slowly being bridged. In 1961, the female literacy rate was 3.7 times less than that of male literacy. In 1972, the difference became 2.6 times and in 1981, 2.2 times. This signifies that female education is making relatively greater progress.

Literacy and adult education have been recognized as essential elements of human resource development. Ever since independence, they constitute an integral part of educational policies and national plans formulated by the government from time to time. These policies and plans so far announced by the government can at best indicate the thinking and wishes of development planners. The impact of these policies and plans can be assessed when they are converted into programmes/projects and are actually implemented on the ground. Following are the various adult literacy drives and schemes launched during last fifty years:

Village Agricultural & Industrial Development (AID) Programme, 1953

It was basically a community development programme sponsored by UNESCO & GOP. 267 master trainers were selected and trained in literacy work. About 8,000 village literacy centers were organized. Instructional and follow-up material was also produced. This programme was ceased to function in 196 1.

Literacy Programme under Basic Democracies, 1964-69 Under this programme a study group was set-up to prepare pilot projects on literacy in 1964. Union councils in rural areas and town committees in urban areas were entrusted the responsibility of organizing literacy centers in their purview.

Peoples Works Programme, 1973 (Sipah-e-Khidmat) The unemployed educated youth, rural development workers, school teachers and volunteers were engaged to undertake literacy work. They were trained as literacy teachers with nominal honorarium. Each person was supposed to teach 50 illiterates at a time. This scheme was discontinued before completing its 1st phase in 1974.

Literacy Programmes through Local Councils in Punjab Province, 1974-81 Under this, the literacy work was mainly assigned to the department of Local Government and Rural Development. A Directorate of Adult Education was established. The programme was run through local councils. No separate infrastructure or staff was engaged to monitor & supervise the functioning. About 592975 illiterate persons were made literate in Punjab province during 1974-1981.

Literacy Programmes in the Provinces of Sindh, NWFP & Balochistan No separate organizational set-up could be evolved in these provinces for exclusive literacy work. For instance, in North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) the Bureau of Curriculum Development & Education Extension launched adult education programme in 1973 by organizing 500 centers. Likewise, in Balochistan and Sindh the department of Local Government, Social Welfare and NG0s have been running, few centers. Literacy efforts in these provinces have been scanty, diffused and uncoordinated.

Adult Functional Literacy Project (Television Literacy Programmes), 1975-81 This project was launched in 1975 by the Pakistan Television Corporation. The package contained a total of 156 tele-lessons, 10 lessons on teacher training, 78 lessons on reading, & numeracy, 68 lessons for post literacy. Community viewing centers were

established with the involvement of NG0s. A total of 1091000 were made literate through six cycles.

Experimental Pilot Project This project was launched with the collaboration of UNESCO. The programme included establishment of Mosque Schools, Mohallah Schools, Women Education Centers and Village Workshops. Basic literacy material for reading & numeracy was produced along with post literacy materials on nutrition, health, handicrafts, livestock etc. After the evaluation of the project in 1981, it was reorganized under the title of Rural Education And Development (READ).

Nai Roshni Schools Project, 1987-89 The Prime Minister's Literacy Commission (PNMC) is, at the moment, the main coordinating agency for adult education and literacy programmes with functional arms at the provincial level. Various adult literacy projects were launched under the umbrella of PMLC or previously called NETCOM, since 1980-81. One of them is the Nai Roshni Schools project launched in 1987. The main objective of this project was to provide primary level education to school drop outs and youth of age 10-14 through a condensed course of two years duration. According to a third party evaluation survey 95% Nai Roshni Schools were functional. About 24927 persons acquired the level of literacy during the project period. It was an innovative scheme but it's too tragic that it was closed without any academic rational in 1989.

Apart from Governmental efforts, a number of NG0s, voluntary and Social Welfare Agencies have also been fighting against illiteracy. Some of them are:

* Adult Basic Education Society (ABES) * All Pakistan Women's Association (APWA) * Pakistan Girl Guides Association (PGGA), and * Allama lqbal Open University (AIOU) etc.

Quranic Literacy Project:

One of the most innovative and professionalized adult literacy projects launched by the NETCON/1/PMLC is the Use of Quranic Literacy for the Promotion of General Literacy among Females. According to the 1981 census 42% females were reported to be Quranic literate. It was an encouraging, indicator that a significant number of women could read Holy Quran while literacy rate of rural females was only 7.3%. This gap gave birth to a hypothesis that this group can acquire literacy in shorter period of time at lessor unit cost. A pilot project with the above title was therefore conceived. One of the purposes of the pilot project was to test the hypothesis and devise modalities for replication of the project by the provinces at a larger scale.

Project Objectives:

To test as to whether the females who are able to read Holy Quran can be made literate in Urdu with greater ease and in shorter time.

Testing the hypothesis whether "Naskh" script is easier to learn literacy than "Nastaleeq" script.

Pretesting of the usefulness of a new primer evolved by NETCOM/PMLC for those already possessing Quranic literacy.

To impart literacy to 18000 female illiterates. Project Inputs: Establishment of 200 centers in rent free accommodation donated by community Provision of literacy material free of cost to all the students

Appointment of 200 part time teachers Appointment of project staff Appointment of 1 0 Master Trainers/Field Supervisors (females) Funds for organization, monitoring and evaluation of the project Committees of local leaders to ensure maximum participation

Implementation:

An extensive research and field assessment was undertaken and a PCI (project document) was prepared costing Rs. 3.73 million in 1991. A special primer was also devised at Naskh script by the prominent group of experts. After this. motivational campaigns were launched in each of the project districts. These districts were Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Haripur and Abbottabad. The programme had three phases (six months per cycle) with 200 centers to be established during, each phase. Rent free accommodation was provided by the local community. Literacy teachers were recruited from among the local educated females. For every 20 centers one field supervisor was also appointed from among the graduate females to help and guide literacy teachers. Four day training workshop was also organized for the orientation of supervisors and literacy teachers. The literacy material was provided free of cost to each and every literacy center.

Admission to the centers was made from amongst the females possessing Quranic literacy. Attendance registers were also maintained. At the end of each cycle examinations were conducted by a team comprising local supervisors, teachers and Headquarters Supervisors. The project completed in 1995-96.

Evaluation:

The Ministry of Education twice conducted the evaluation of the project and declared it a successful programme. From this programme, a number of 6613 females fully benefited as against 4254 females partially benefited. Both female groups belonged

to 10-45 years age.

Establishment of Centers in Each District:

District No. of centers Islamabad 81 Rawalpindi 70 Attock 80 Haripur 118 Abbottabad 104 Total 453

It was proved that Naskh script is easier to read and write Urdu. The per unit cost was calculated as Rs. 207 per learner. Centers actually opened were 453 with an enrolment of 10867 learners. The project created job opportunities for 650 rural females in their own environment by employing them as teachers and supervisors. Selected literacy teachers were given Rs. 5001- as honorarium per month, which was far less than the salaries earned by a regular teacher. Neo-literates were of the view that there should be some continuing education programme after this. Due to resource constraints actual number of literacy centers could not be established, althouch the teachers and leamers showed their great zeal and enthusiasm to make the project a favourable one.

Based on the achievements and problems of the project a revised PC 1 (capital cost Rs. 1 8.42 million) has already been submitted covering all these five districts by 100%.

REFERENCES

1) Dr. Abdul Ghafoor, 1994, Quest for Adult Literacv, Ministry of Education.

2) GOP, 1997, Theme Paper on Political and Social Mobilization for EFA.

3) GOP, 1997, E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting in Pakistan, A Country Report.

4) GOP, 1996-97, Economic Survey.

5) PMLC, 1995, Brief on Ouranic Literacy Project.

6) PMLC, 19995-96, Evaluation Report on "Use of Quranic Literacy for Promotion of Literacy Among Females" Project.

Government of Pakistan Ministry of Education lslamabad