Literacy target: Minister sees 100% enrolment by 2018

Iqbal says Pakistan is among a few countries with large number of children out of school

ISLAMABAD: Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal said on Monday that the government would achieve the target of 100% enrolment of children in schools by 2017-18. This would be a step towards attaining 100% literacy rate in the country, said the minister addressing a ceremony held at Karlot Residential College in connection with the International Literacy Day on September 8. Iqbal said Pakistan was among a few countries with large number of children out of school. The government, therefore, had announced education emergency to achieve the targets set by Education for All and Millennium Development Goals. For the purpose, it earmarked Rs12.5 billion for education in the budget 2014-15. “All children will be enrolled at schools while an exemplary curriculum prepared to make them creative and innovative,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2014.