NCHD to establish 6,200 literacy centres across the country

With 95% female enrolment, commission hopes to focus on women.

ISLAMABAD: After being reinstated, the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) has finalised plans to establish 6,200 literacy centres all over Pakistan.

According to the data provided by the NCHD, an enrolment of 141,460 learners for the 6,200 literacy centres has already been completed and they will get basic literacy lessons.

The commission, which is present in 134 districts of Pakistan including Fata, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir, is providing people with an easy access to education. It heavily focuses on women empowerment through its literacy centres — with 95% of the enrolled learners being females.

NCHD Communication General Manager Farhad Jarrar while talking to The Express Tribune said that the commission is hopeful that after obtaining the basic skills of learning from the programme, students will be able to read the local newspaper, write a simple letter and also carry out simple calculations.

“By imparting literacy skills one can hope to bring positive behavioural changes among men and women, particularly literate mothers who can ensure bright futures for their kids,” said Jarrar.

He said that in 2006, the NCHD was awarded the International Literacy Award from UNESCO and currently the government has declared NCHD as the ‘leading agency’ for improving literacy in the country.

NCHD Chairperson Dr Nafisa Shah outlined the importance of literacy in improving the lives of individuals. “It guarantees economic wellbeing. It develops societies by building human capital, fostering tolerance and promoting civic participation,” she said.

She added that the commission is working hard to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations for Pakistan by 2015. Earlier, one of the members of the NCHD and a Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Shahnaz Wazir Ali, while addressing the media, feared that Pakistan may not achieve the MDGs 2015 set by the UN due to some internal issues exclusively in the education sector.

The NCHD promises to extend education in the rural areas of Pakistan. Out of the 6,200 literacy centres that the NCHD plans to establish, 50 centres have already been launched in Fata, putting the region as their top priority in expanding literacy rates.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2012.