KP govt accords approval to campaign to enhance literacy rate

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: In a bid to enhance the literacy rate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa particularly in the newly merged districts to the desired level, the provincial government has accorded approval to KP Literacy Campaign titled as “Ilm Tolo Da Para* in a meeting of the Provincial Task Force on Merged Districts held here on Friday with the Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (R) Syed Arshad Hussain Shah in the chair.

Initially, the campaign would be launched in merged districts, and would be extended to those settled districts having low literacy rate. Under the campaign, a comprehensive plan has been chalked out for admitting out of school children of merged areas to schools. Moreover, under the campaign, children belonging to merged districts with age group of five to sixteen would be specifically targeted for enrolment.

Besides Caretaker Provincial Ministers Dr. Qasim Jan, Dr. Aamir Abdullah, Barrister Feroz Jamal Shah Kakakhel, Corps Commander Peshawar Lt. Gen. Hassan Azhar Hayat and other civil & military high ups attended the meeting.

The forum decided to upgrade the public sector schools on need basis in merged districts while teachers belonging to merged districts but posted in other districts would also be repatriated to the districts of their domiciles. In the meeting it was also decided that an inquiry would be conducted regarding missing facilities in public schools while action would be taken against contractor in case of non-construction of facilities mentioned in the PC 1 of any school. The meeting also decided to constitute a committee for aligning the academic curriculum with market needs and requirements of modern era.

Briefing about the various aspects of literacy campaign “Ilm tolo da para”, the participants were informed that the campaign has been designed jointly by the Pak Army and education department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was disclosed in the meeting that currently, 55 % i.e 10,00000 children are out of schools in the merged districts adding that only 44 % i.e around 8,00000 children are enrolled in the schools in merged areas.

It was further informed that at current, 74 % girls are out of schools in those districts. The authorities told that under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Literacy Campaign, initiatives would also be taken to ensure availability of teaching staff and missing facilities in the government schools. Apart from this, rationalization of schools in merged districts would be carried out and all the surplus schools would be converted into Technical and Vocational Centers. Similarly, initiatives would be taken to identify the ghost schools and teachers in those districts. As an effort to increase literacy rate in merged areas, special incentives would also be given to the teachers and students.

The plan also include the initiatives for introducing formal education in seminaries (Deeni Madaris) whereas cooperation would be sought from Ulema, elected public representatives, civil society and all other stakeholders in order to make this literacy campaign successful. Besides, an effective monitoring mechanism would be placed to ensure implementation of the plan in its latter and spirit. Addressing the participants, the caretaker Chief Minister said that the literacy campaign would prove to be a milestone towards increasing literacy rate in the province, particularly the merged districts. He appreciated the role of Pak Army in devising this campaign adding that the provincial government has always commended and recognized the efforts of Pak Army in bringing the merged districts into mainstream.

He maintained that addressing the deprivations of the people of NMDs was the top most priority of the government; civil administration and military institutions must continue jointly working for this purpose. “It was only education that can pave the path of sustainable development in the merged areas”, he remarked and said that all of us have to work hard for making this campaign a success story.