A Second Chance: Examining Adult Literacy in South

Asia

Aziza Ismail

Why are literacy rates

low?

Poor policies

Historically poor

Ravished by War and Conflict

Cultural Issues

Let’s examine them in some detail

Poor Policies

• In Pakistan, education and adult literacy are not a priority for the government. Efforts exist only on paper. Pakistan Government claims the creation of adult literacy centers. However, more than 70% of literacy centers exist only on paper.

• Pakistan is making very slow progress in improving its literacy rates. They are not expected to meet the Millennium Development Goal by 2015. At the current rate of progress they are expected to take decades to recover.

• In Pakistan, there are no alternative opportunities for women who have dropped out or never been able to educate themselves.

Cultural Issues

• Family and cultural values restrict girls and women from attaining an education.

• Parents have a negative attitude towards educating their daughters. Girls may be forced to drop out by parents in order to perform chores and tend to the family at home where they may need to take care of younger siblings.

• Existence of ‘hard-core’ groups: middle-aged, and 45 years and above, the disabled and people residing in remote areas. Difficult to provide educational services to these people.

• Another hard-core group: people who are not yet aware of the importance of education.

War and Conflict

• In Pakistan, political interference prevents the implementation of policies.

• 30+ year war in Afghanistan.

Lack of Infrastructure

• India’s education system does not have the capacity to absorb the girls who want to go to school. (UN)– Inadequate school Infrastructure• Government is not able to provide basic amenities like

schools. Lack of classrooms.• Classrooms lack basic necessities such as sanitary

facilities and water.

• Pakistan’s school infrastructure is not adapted to the needs of girls, for example, the lack of separate toilets, school fencing, girls boarding facilities, etc.

Why focus on Female Literacy in

South Asia?

In countries where literacy rates are low, women have

lower literacy rates than men.

“When you educate a woman, you educate a

nation.”

Benefits to Female Education

• Economic– The World Bank has found that when a country improves

education for girls, its overall per capita income increases and its fertility rate drops.

• Social– Reduced Fertility– Improved health– Family well-being– Education of children– Women’s empowerment

What has worked?

• Non-formal education: alternative methods of delivering education, very flexible schedules and places. • Learning groups – places and times

decided upon by participants• Using facilities that are already used

to reach learners, instead of having to build new buildings.

• Income Generating programs• Encouraging university

volunteers to help eradicate illiteracy in rural areas• Functional literacy

• Programs that provide libraries, magazines, books for readers with basic skills, distributed to people in order that the people do not relapse into illiteracy. • Compulsory education• Providing incentives for families who

have children enrolled in schools (e.g. school feeding programs)

What is the role of Digital Culturein giving adult women in

Afghanistan a second chance?

THANKS!