According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2022/23 presented in the Senate, the overall literacy rate of 10 years and above in Pakistan is around 62.8%. This number constitutes gradual progress as compared to previous years, showing that educational access and its quality are being made better.
At the top of the list, Punjab has a literacy rate of 66.3%, which does depict significant progress in the chosen educational infrastructure and initiatives. On the other hand, Baluchistan holds the lowest literacy rate of only 54.5%, thus compelling the need for special interventions in an effort to bridge educational gaps. Respectively, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa KP post a literacy rate of 61.8% and 55.1%, which indicates quite evidently a regional mixed trend.
There exists a wide-scale gender disparity regarding the literacy chart of Pakistan. The overall literacy rate of women is as low as 51.9 percent compared with 73.4 percent for men. This gap becomes more marked in some provinces, such as Balochistan, where the female literacy rate comes down to just 36.8 percent as compared to 69.5 percent for men.
The corresponding rates for KP are 37.4 percent for females and 72.8 percent for males. In Punjab, however, they are much closer, with females recording 58.4 percent and males 74.2 percent. The trend in Sindh is the same: female literacy stands at 49.7 percent, while the male literacy rate rests at 72.9%.
Much work is being done to support the increase in literacy rates, particularly on the part of the government: more enrolment in schools, better training for teachers, and adult literacy programs. The National Commission for Human Development has also played a crucial role by setting up many adult literacy centers and giving education to all neglected segments of society .
Despite such efforts, poverty, lack of infrastructure, and socio-cultural concerns act as hurdles in the way. Tackling such issues is likely to make any gains in literacy rates more uniform and conducive to long-term success throughout Pakistan.
You can find more detailed information and the latest updates on the literacy rate in Pakistan through the Pakistan Economic Survey and reports from the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.
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