Policy & Planning
The current Education policy (1998-2010) envisages democratization of education through the expansion of elementary education including formal and non-formal methods and expanded adult education, literacy and functional literacy programmes, as a basic requirement for economic development, for modernization of social structures and for providing equality of opportunity for all citizens. It is recognized that Pakistan's international commitment to double the rate of literacy by the year 2015 cannot be accomplished without achieving universal primary education. This will be achieved by complementing the formal primary school system with a strong non-formal basic education initiative. A massive non-formal basic education programme is included in the plan to provide access economically and expeditiously to all the 5.5 million primary school age children who are at present out of school. Adolescents and youth who have missed primary education are to be given a second chance through a crash condensed course to enable them to complete the primary education cycle within two to three years.
Source: Asia and the Pacific Education for All (EFA) Mid-Decade Assessment, SOUTH AISA, Synthesis Report ©UNESCO 2009