“All possible measures should be taken to attain the target of 100 per cent literacy rate in the country,” Government College University, Faisalabad vice chancellor Dr Zakir Hussain said on Wednesday.
He was speaking at a seminar held in connection with the International Literacy Day as part of Punjab chief minister’s educational emergency campaign.
The VC stressed the need for social mobilisation and spreading awareness about the importance of education.
He said, “Pakistan is blessed with talented people, but our literacy rate is only 58 per cent…which is a problem in meeting the demands of the modern era.”
Hussain said Islam emphasised the value of education. “Being Muslims, it is our duty to take every tangible step to attain knowledge,” he added. The VC praised Punjab government’s efforts for education. “The Educational Enrolment Emergency Campaign, Punjab Educational Endowment Funds, distribution of laptops and solar lamps are some of the steps that are opening up new horizon of progress in the country,” he said.
He said the GCUF was taking all tangible steps for providing quality education.
GCUF Department of Education Chairman Muhammad Asif said that the key to the uplift of the nations lay in education.
He said education was fundamental to informed decision making, personal empowerment, participation and social community.
District Officer Literacy Muhammad Amjad said the Punjab government was taking all possible steps to promote literacy. District Officer Sajjad Kahloon said that the government was making efforts to bring the dropout students back to schools through counselling.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2013.