Literacy in Pakistan

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Literacy Rate in each Pakistani District as of the 2017 Pakistan Census Literacy Rate by Pakistani District - 2017 Census.svg
Literacy Rate in each Pakistani District as of the 2017 Pakistan Census

Literacy in Pakistan is a key for social-economic progress. The literacy rate in Pakistan has seen gradual improvement over the past few decades, but it remains a significant challenge. According to recent data, the overall literacy rate in Pakistan is estimated to be around 60-65% [1] , with notable gender disparities. The literacy rate for males is generally higher than that for females, particularly in rural areas, where access to education is more limited. Several factors contribute to low literacy rates, including poverty, cultural barriers, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of quality education in certain regions. Efforts to improve literacy have been made through various government and NGO initiatives, but achieving universal literacy remains a long-term goal. Enhancing educational opportunities, especially for girls, and addressing regional disparities are crucial steps toward improving Pakistan's literacy rate [2] .

Contents

Literacy rate by Census

The definition of literacy has been undergoing changes, with the result that the literacy figure has vacillated irregularly during the various censuses. A summary is as follows: [3]

Year of

census [3]

Total [3] Male [3] Female [3] Urban [4] Rural [4] Definition of

being "literate" [3]

Age

group [4]

1951 (West Pakistan)17.9% [5] 21.4% [5] 13.9% [5] N/AN/AOne who can read a clear

print in any language

All Ages
1961 (West Pakistan)16.9% [5] 26.1% [5] 6.7% [5] 34.8%10.6%One who is able to read with

understanding a simple letter in any language

Age 5 and above
197221.7%30.2%11.6%41.5%14.3%One who is able to read and

write in some language with understanding

Age 10 and Above
198126.2%35.1%16.0%47.1%17.3%One who can read newspaper

and write a simple letter

Age 10 and Above
199843.92%54.81%32.02%63.08%33.64%One who can read a newspaper

and write a simple letter, in any language

Age 10 and Above
202162.8%68%52.84%74.09%51.56%Age 10 and Above

Literacy rate by Province and Federally Administered Areas

ProvinceLiteracy rate [3]
19721981199820212023
Punjab 20.7%27.4%46.56%66.3%...
Sindh 30.2%31.5%45.29%61.8%...
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 15.5%16.7%35.41%55.1%...
Balochistan 10.1%10.3%26.6%54.5%...
Islamabad (ICT) ...47.8% [6] [7] 72.40% [6] ...96%
Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) ...25.7% [8] 55% [9] ...91% (2021) [10]
Gilgit-Baltistan ...3% [11] 37.85% [11] ...NA

Literacy rate by Districts

District2023 [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] 2017199819811972
Muzaffarabad ...
Hattian Bala ...
Neelum ...
Mirpur ...
Bhimber ...
Kotli ...
Poonch ...
Bagh ...
Haveli ...
Sudhnati ...
Ghanche ...
Skardu ...
Astore ...
Diamer ...
Ghizer ...
Gilgit ...
Hunza ...
Kharmang ...
Shigar ...
Nagar ...
Abbottabad 87.34%
Allai ...
Bajaur 36.26%
Bannu 51.75%
Battagram 49.09%
Buner 53.75%
Charsadda 63.94%
Central Dir District ...
Dera Ismail Khan 56.58%
Hangu 53.15%
Haripur 84.88%
Karak 75.36%
Khyber 48.45%
Kohat 68.55%
Kolai Palas 28.80%
Kurram 45.22%
Lakki Marwat 58.47%
Lower Chitral 76.10%
Lower Dir 67.36%
Lower Kohistan 32.05%
Malakand ...
Mansehra 73.79%
Mardan 65.79%
Mohmand 41.28%
North Waziristan 42.82%
Nowshera 66.78%
Orakzai 43.57%
Peshawar 63.28%
Shangla 43.74%
Upper South Waziristan 41.96%
Lower South Waziristan 41.96%
Swabi 68.48%
Swat 58.13%
Tank 50.67%
Torghar 39.74%
Upper Chitral 83.83%
Upper Dir 56.77%
Upper Kohistan 29.05%
Badin 46.65%
Dadu 57.13%
Ghotki 51.38%
Hyderabad 77.21%
Jacobabad 52.34%
Jamshoro 59.63%
Karachi Central 93.55%
Karachi East 90.07%
Karachi South 88.57%
Karachi West 77.43%
Kashmore 45.59%
Keamari 72.07%
Khairpur 60.14%
Korangi 89.86%
Larkana 65.58%
Malir 73.14%
Matiari 55.88%
Mirpur Khas 55.37%
Naushahro Feroze 67.15%
Qambar Shahdadkot 50.02%
Sanghar 53.66%
Shaheed Benazirabad 60.86%
Shikarpur 53.70%
Sujawal 37.02%
Sukkur 68.26%
Tando Allahyar 49.80%
Tando Muhammad Khan 44.02%
Tharparkar 46.39%
Thatta 36.88%
Umerkot [17] 48.69%
Awaran 46.34%
Barkhan 43.62%
Chagai 43.15%
Chaman 49.97%
Dera Bugti 34.07%
Duki 54.18%
Gwadar 60.30%
Harnai 49.83%
Hub 46.47%
Jafarabad 45.53 %
Jhal Magsi 40.14%
Kachhi 40.20%
Kalat 49.70%
Kech 59.65%
Kharan 51.07%
Khuzdar 48.59%
Kohlu 38.53%
Lasbela 46.47%
Loralai 53.16%
Mastung 55.97%
Musakhel 46.60%
Nasirabad 38.96%
Nushki 67.12%
Panjgur 52.07%
Pishin 61.07%
Quetta 66.29%
Qila Abdullah 46.40%
Qilla Saifullah 42.96%
Sherani 33.86%
Sibi 57.41%
Sohbatpur 51.02%
Surab 47.44%
Washuk 31.58%
Zhob 46.62%
Ziarat 53.37%
Usta Muhammad 45.53%
Attock 80.22%
Bahawalnagar 67.01%
Bahawalpur 63.35%
Bhakkar 65.68%
Chakwal 87.79%
Chiniot 65.05%
Dera Ghazi Khan 56.78
Faisalabad 83.41%
Gujranwala 86.77%
Gujrat 88.37%
Hafizabad 75.77%
Jhang 69.45%
Jhelum 85.65%
Kasur 72.85%
Khanewal 70.97%
Khushab 72.52%
Lahore 89.62%
Layyah 71.83%
Lodhran 61.68%
Mandi Bahauddin 80.27%
Mianwali 72.87%
Multan 71.41%
Muzaffargarh 57.99%
Nankana Sahib [18] 73.12%
Narowal 85.28%
Okara 70.25%
Pakpattan 67.13%
Rahim Yar Khan 57.94%
Rajanpur 46.09%
Rawalpindi 89.22%
Sahiwal 74.77%
Sargodha 76.73%
Sheikhupura 78.88%
Sialkot 88.37%
Toba Tek Singh 81.38%
Vehari 69.10%
Talagang ...
Murree ...
Taunsa ...
Kot Addu ...
Wazirabad ...
Islamabad Capital Territory 95%

Mean Years of Schooling in Pakistan by administrative unit

Unit [19] 19901995200020052010201220152018
Azad Jammu & Kashmir 3.784.59 Increase2.svg5.42 Increase2.svg7.47 Increase2.svg7.22 Decrease2.svg7.35 Decrease2.svg6.92 Decrease2.svg6.51 Decrease2.svg
Balochistan 1.772.15 Increase2.svg2.53 Increase2.svg3.49 Increase2.svg3.25 Decrease2.svg3.14 Decrease2.svg3.17 Decrease2.svg3.10 Decrease2.svg
FATA 1.421.73 Increase2.svg2.04 Increase2.svg2.81 Increase2.svg2.71 Decrease2.svg2.69 Decrease2.svg2.60 Decrease2.svg2.45 Decrease2.svg
Gilgit-Baltistan 2.012.44 Increase2.svg2.88 Increase2.svg3.97 Increase2.svg3.84 Decrease2.svg3.80 Decrease2.svg4.59 Increase2.svg5.17 Increase2.svg
Islamabad (ICT) 4.165.05 Increase2.svg5.96 Increase2.svg8.21 Increase2.svg9.67 Increase2.svg10.70 Increase2.svg9.62 Decrease2.svg8.34 Decrease2.svg
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1.832.22 Increase2.svg2.62 Increase2.svg3.62 Increase2.svg3.80 Increase2.svg3.97 Increase2.svg3.95 Decrease2.svg3.82 Decrease2.svg
Punjab 1.962.38 Increase2.svg2.81 Increase2.svg3.88 Increase2.svg4.44 Increase2.svg4.85 Increase2.svg5.23 Increase2.svg5.41 Increase2.svg
Sindh 2.432.95 Increase2.svg3.48 Increase2.svg4.79 Increase2.svg5.19 Increase2.svg5.51 Increase2.svg5.35 Decrease2.svg5.05 Decrease2.svg
Pakistan 2.282.77Increase2.svg3.27Increase2.svg4.51Increase2.svg4.68Increase2.svg4.85Increase2.svg5.09Increase2.svg5.16Increase2.svg

Literacy rates and development

Pakistan literacy rate is lower than other neighbours of it in South Asia at 62.8 percent. The second lowest in South Asia after Afghanistan which has 37% The male literacy rate is 73 percent and the female literacy rate is 52.84 percent. The female literacy rate drops to twenty-five percent in rural areas of Pakistan including Waziristan and Tharparkur . Girls' school enrollment also significantly drops in the rural areas of Pakistan. The enrollment rate for girls in rural areas is only twenty percent in grade school. Sixty-five percent of Pakistan's population is made up of rural citizens. Citizens in Pakistan face issues that affect their quality of life. Issues such as illiteracy are linked to poverty and lack of basic needs. Feudalism and patriarchy leadership has kept females especially from receiving adequate education. [20]

Parents with lower literacy skills struggle to understand health recommendations that can affect the development of their children. Malnutrition is a problem for children of parents who do not have a formal education status. Uneducated parents may not know the necessary proper nutrition needed for their children to adequately grow and develop. Malnutrition is associated with mothers who are illiterate and unaware of correct feeding practices. [21] There are several factors that contribute to the low education levels in Pakistan. Among the primary catalysts are unemployment, poverty, lack of awareness, teachers' absenteeism, a scarcity of quality educational institutions, and insufficient government oversight of educational institutions. [22]

In a study published by the Research Journal of Commerce, Economics, and Social Sciences, discusses the importance of education. The study compares Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan. Education plays a huge role and is a crucial tool for overall improvement in well-being. Education helps jobs, upholds social justice and equity, social and self-awareness, and open mindedness. Education is one of the most important contribution a country can offer its citizens in the hopes of inequality and poverty. Education has a very positive effect on human life. In any society education plays such a basic role and without education we cannot imagine a life. This study found that there are many differences in culture in Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan as well as resources within the country are also very different. The data reveals that the literacy rate of Indonesia is 90%, Malaysia is 89% and Pakistan is 62.8%, which is significantly lower in compared to the other two countries. In comparison to these other two countries, Pakistan has the more poverty and inequality within its country. It only makes sense that it has the lowest literacy rate because of this. If Pakistan's literacy rates were to go up, their poverty and inequality within their country would hopefully go down, creating a better society and more beneficial country. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

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