In a bid to increase literacy rate in backward areas of the country, a parliamentary panel on Thursday recommended increasing the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) budget by three times, besides making it one-line budget. "The institution worked in 137 districts of the country during 2002-2011; however after a cut in its budget, the NCHD is now working in 115 districts," revealed Chairperson NCHD Razina Alam Khan while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training.
The committee met with Rahila Magsi in the chair where a detailed briefing was given on the function/responsibilities/administrative plans pertaining to NCHD, an allied department of ministry of federal education and professional training. The chairperson NCHD informed the committee that the institution was established through a Presidential Order in 2002 with the objective to work for a literate society where education on secondary level should be ensured.
The institutions worked in 137 districts of the country from 2002-2011 but after its budget was slashed, it is now working in 115 districts. She said that there are 5,949 feeder schools in the country where 65,821 teachers are busy imparting education and 90 percent teachers are female. The institution is working effectively for brining literary rate to 90 percent by 2025. She said 12,000 new education centres would be established in 2016-17, where 0.3 million children would be given education. This programme would be started in 59 districts where literary rate is low.
The NCHD chairperson said that 57 million people are illiterate in the country. The committee recommended increasing NCHD budget by three times and making it one-line budget. Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Mukhtar Ahmad and the Secretary Federal Education informed the committee on the follow-up/implementation status of the recommendations made by the standing committee in its last meeting. Dr Mukhtar informed that curriculum review is under process where provinces are also on board. After the basic features, the development committee would be constituted in next phase for reviewing 87 subjects for grade 1-12. There would be 27 members in National Curriculum Committee that would thoroughly review the curriculum.
Senator Pervez Rasheed said that education imparted to the children in the past failed to make children good citizens due to prejudice, intolerance, hate and lack of knowledge about history. He said that such curriculum should be developed where children love peace and hate war.
The HEC chairman said that education in the country is good but training has not been made its part. Now a training course would be included in subjects, while students would be bound for giving 10 hours per year to community. Universities have been informed for binding their students on teaching to school and college students in their areas. He said it would take 10-15 years for introducing subjects in the academia as per the industry requirement. Technology Park would be established soon in the country while agreement has been signed with Korea for technology transfer. Furthermore, the government has given a project worth Rs 13 billion for introducing industry-related subjects.
Senator Nuzhat Sadiq said that students who have passed intermediate exams should give time to government schools to increase literacy rate in the country. Dr Mukhtar said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed for promoting technical education in the country and a technical university would be set up in this regard. He said that classes have been started in FATA University while its campuses would be established in every agency of tribal areas.
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