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UNIVERSAL LITERACY
If you were to list our human rights, would you include the ability to read and write? Literacy
is a skill that many of us take for granted. So it may be a surprise to learn that literacy has been
recognized as a human right for over 50 years in several international conventions. To celebrate
International Literacy Day, we explore why literacy deserves this prized status.
Human rights enable flourishing lives, and are universal, inalienable and interrelated rights to which
all human beings are entitled. When we pause to reflect on the profound effect of literacy in our
everyday lives, the idea of literacy as a right - as well as an essential tool for pursuing other human
rights - quickly becomes apparent. Before revealing the many benefits of literacy and why it is a
human right, let us first look at what is meant by the term.
Definitions of Literacy:
Literate, according to this same source, derives from Middle English and Latin terms
meaning "marked with letters" and "letters, literature." Two definitions are provided:
a) "Able to read and write".
b) "Versed in literature or creative writing...having knowledge or competence
2) The Literacy Development Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
(www.nald.ca/PROVINCE/NFLD/NFLITCOU/litinfo.htm) defines this term in the
following: "Literacy not only involves competency in reading and writing, but goes beyond
this to include the critical and effective use of these in peoples' lives, and the use of language
(oral and written) for all purposes." This definition involves critical thinking about what one
reads, as well as expanding the term to encompass oral forms of literacy.
3) The 1963 census of Pakistan defined it as “the ability to read, a simple letter in any language
with understanding.’’
Brief History:
It is thought that the majority of people were illiterate in ancient times. However, recent work has
challenged this long held notion. Anthony DiRenzo asserts that Roman society was “a
civilization based on the book and the register”, and "no one, free or slave, could afford to be
illiterate". Similarly Dupont points out, "The written word was all around them, in both public
and private life: laws, calendars, regulations at shrines, and funeral epitaphs were engraved in
stone or bronze. The Republic amassed huge archives of reports on every aspect of public life".
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When the Western Roman Empire fell apart literacy became a distinguishing mark of the elite,
and communications skills were politically important. Even so in pre-modern times it is unlikely
that literacy was found in more than about 30-40% of the population.
In the late fourth century the Desert Father Pachomius expected literacy of a candidate for
admission to his monasteries:
They shall give him twenty Psalms or two of the Apostles' epistles or some other part of
Scripture. And if he is illiterate he shall go at the first, third and sixth hours to someone who can
teach and has been appointed for him. He shall stand before him and learn very studiously and
with all gratitude. The fundamentals of a syllable, the verbs and nouns shall all be written for him
and even if he does not want to he shall be compelled to read
Literacy in Asia:
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Literacy In Pakistan:
In Pakistan, the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) aims to bring
literacy to adults, especially women. ISLAMABAD - UNESCO Islamabad Director Kozue Kay
Nagata has said, “Illiteracy in Pakistan has fallen over two decades, thanks to the government
and people of Pakistan for their efforts working toward meeting the Millennium Development
Goals”. “Today, 70 percent of Pakistani youths can read and write. In 20 years, illiterate
population has been reduced significantly”, she said while speaking at a function held in
connection with International Literacy Day.
However, she also emphasized on the need to do more to improve literacy in the country and
said, “The proportion of population in Pakistan lacking basic reading and writing is too high.
This is a serious obstacle for individual fulfillment, to the development of societies, and to
mutual understanding between peoples.” Referring to the recent national survey carried out by
the Ministry of Education, Trainings and Standards in Higher Education with support of
UNESCO, UNICEF, and provincial and areas departments of education, Nagata pointed out that,
in Pakistan, although primary school survival rate is 70 percent, gender gap still exists with only
68 percent of girls’ survival rate compared to 71 percent for boys. Specifically in the case of
Punjab, she said, primary school survival rate today is better with 76 percent, but not without a
gender gap of 8 percent points with 72 percent girls’ survival rate compared to 80 percent for
boys. She also pointed out that average per student spending in primary level (age 5-9) was better
in Punjab: Rs 6,998, compared to the national average. In Balochistan, although almost the same
amount (Rs 6,985) as in Punjab is spent per child, the primary school survival rate is only 53
percent. Girls’ survival rate is slightly better with 54 percent than that of boys which is 52
percent.
The data of the survey shows that in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, primary school survival rate is 67
percent which is lower than the national average of 70 percent. Furthermore, gender gap also
exists with only 65 percent of girls’ survival rate compared to that of boys which is 68 percent.
Per-student education expenditure in primary level (age 5-9) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is Rs
8,638. In Sindh, primary school survival rate is 63percent, with a gender gap of only 67 percent
of girls’ survival rate compared to 60 percent for boys. Per student education expenditure in
primary level (age 5-9) in Sindh is Rs 5,019. Nagata made reference to the survey report and
mentioned that the most common reason in Pakistan for children (both boys and girls) of age 10
to 18 years leaving school before completing primary grade is “the child not willing to go to
school”, which may be related to quality and learning outcome. She said, however, and sadly, for
the girls living in rural communities the second highest reason for dropout is “parents did not
allow” which might be related to prejudice and cultural norm against girls.
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3) Poverty:
This is another formidable problem which results in lack of access to education facilities. This is
mostly true for rural areas and slum dwellers in urban and suburban areas.
4) Low Motivation of Parents:
Apart from poverty, parents are not motivated to send their children to school. Usually these
parents are illiterate themselves and are unaware of the value of education. The female child is
the first victim of such insensitivity
5) Child Labor:
Children even at a very young age, for a number of reasons like poverty, are forced to do petty
jobs ranging from domestic labor to working in workshops and restaurants in the urban areas to
farming in rural areas.
6) Female Education as a Low Priority:
In the rural conservative population, female literacy is not a priority. A male child gets
preferential treatment over the female. Spending on female literacy is not considered a viable
option.
7) Physical Disability:
Generally there is lack of awareness of physical disabilities present in children like malnutrition,
weak eyesight and learning disability. Parents and teachers instead of realizing such a physical
disability resort to corporal punishment. Fortunately, steps are being taken to make people aware
and teachers are also being sensitized on these issues in their training.
8) Insufficient Resources:
It is a hard fact that funds earmarked for adult literacy programs have so far been extremely low,
hardly 1 per cent of the education budget.
9) Rigidity in Financial Rules:
Apart from low allocation, financial rules regarding the release of money are unnecessarily
technical and rigid. This results in non-release of money and non-utilization of the resources for
literacy.
10) Non-Co-Ordination among Agencies:
There is an absence of a strong coordination and organizational structure among agencies with
the result that interaction among the principal actors in the field of adult literacy remained weak.
Resultantly, there have been several overlapping efforts resulting in depletion of resources.
11) Absence of Professional Institutionalized Set-Up:
The professional base of adult literacy initiatives remained under-developed due to the lack of
training of instructors, formalized curriculum and effective research.
12) Lack of Community Participation:
There have been very few examples of community participation in the literacy activities. There is
a dire need to design and implement an adequate system of community participation in the
literacy-related projects.
13) Lack of reliable data: There is a dearth of reliable data on literacy which results in ill
planning and wastage of resources.
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14) Ineffective Monitoring of Literacy Projects:
Most of the literacy projects designed and launched failed due to ineffective monitoring by
the personnel concerned.
15) Lack of Research:
By and large, there has been a lack of research in literacy-related issues and problems. As
a result planners are unable to get reliable feedback of the literacy projects. Hence proper
planning for future programs is not possible.
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