Fighting Illiteracy: What Works and What Doesn't: A Case Study of Female Literacy in Pakistan.

Abstract

Pakistan is a country with government will to increase literacy among women but which has made little progress in expanding educational attainment among women. There were 20 million illiterates in Pakistan in 1951 42.89 million in 1981 and 117.32 million in 1991-92. In 1981 35% of men and 17% of women were literate (55% of urban men and 35% of urban women). Literacy in rural areas is low at 26% for males and 7% for females. About 6 million school-age children are not enrolled in school and have no access to education. About 66% of school drop-outs are girls. Findings from a survey of a low-income population in Karachi in 1991 reveal that 11.6% of the female sample were literate compared to 37.2% of males. Out of 500 illiterate girls 8-14 years old 96.2% were not able to identify the alphabet and 75.6% had never attended school. The girls who had never attended gave as reasons: poverty (28.6%) family norms (15.4%) fathers opposition (14.2%) and interference with household work (2.8%). Girls who had attended school gave as their reasons for dropping out: financial constraints (26%) lack of interest (18.7%) and for the rest household work illness their school was closed or unwilling parents. 72.8% of illiterate girls reported a willingness to study if educational facilities were provided. A UNESCO report on illiteracy identified nine countries with over 70% of the worlds adult illiterates: Bangladesh Brazil China Egypt India Indonesia Mexico Nigeria and Pakistan.