Background
The adult literacy rate has traditionally been recorded the 10+ age group based on the population census conducted every 10 years. From census to census, the definition of literacy has changed, making it difficult to compare rates over time. In the 1998 Census, the definition of a literacy person was "one who can read a newspaper and write a simple letter in any language". The proposed definition for the 2008 Census was "one who can read and write a paragraph in any language with understanding and can make simple calculations".
A number of measures are being undertaken by the Government to provide literacy for adults, especially for women. Under the President's Education Sector Reforms Programme an amount of Rupees 100 Million has been allocated annually since 2001-02 for opening adult literacy centres in the provinces. The Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE) has been launched in collaboration with UNESCO. LIFE activities include training of literacy managers and teachers, curriculum development, development of literacy materials, establishment of CLCs and needs assessment for 173 literacy for the next 10 years. A number of other adult literacy projects are being implemented by the Government and by NGOs. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a national curriculum for literacy has been developed and launched. The curriculum covers the areas of basic literacy (three levels), functional literacy and income-generating skills.
Source: Asia and the Pacific Education for All (EFA) Mid-Decade Assessment, SOUTH AISA, Synthesis Report ©UNESCO 2009
| Quick Facts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Literacy Rate (15 years and over) | Youth Literacy Rate (15-24 years) | |||
| 1979 | 2008 | 1979 | 2008 | |
| Total | 18.2 | 26.2 | 30.1 | 39.0 |
| Male | 30.3 | 39.3 | 45.8 | 52.9 |
| Female | 47.8 | 50.8 | 11.1 | 23.9 |
Source: Integrated living conditions households survey, 2009/ Population census, 2002/ UIS estimation, 2000-2004/ Population census, 1998/ Population census, 2010/ Survey of living standards, 2001&2007/ Population census, 2009/ Population census, 2000/ RMI Demographic and health survey, 2007/ Demographic and health survey (final report), 2007/ Demographic and health survey, 2006-2007/ MDG Report, 2006/ Population census (UIS) & estimation from UN population, 1979 and National risk and vulnerability assessment, 2007-2008/ Living standard survey, 2003