" Once you learn to read, you will be forever free" .
[Fredrick Douglas] [https://Pinterest.com..
Literacy is ability to read and write at a level where by individuals can effectively understand and use written communication in all media (print or electronic) including digital literacy [Montoya,Silvia.(2018).Defining literacy.https://unesco.org]. Education and literacy are two 8th September was proclaimed international literacy day by UNESCO in 1966 to remind the international community, about the importance and effect of literacy for individuals, communities, societies and need for intensified efforts toward more literary societies [https://www.un.org/observance/literacyday]. The aim of ILD (international literacy day), is to promote the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights and to modify the literacy agenda [https://worldLiteracyfoundation.org].
Literacy has a different and great impact on a community, country and even on a single person of a society. Basically it is heart of country`s development. From individual to mass level literacy rate plays a vital role in determining the fate of nations. Higher literacy rate not only brings economic well-being and political stability but also leads to life long learning that can play role in sustainable human resource development. Literate communities are rightly aware of their rights and duties and hence, come revolutions in the history if nations. Low literacy levels also hampers moral growth of the nation and hence, nations as a whole fall victim of extremism and next generation wars, as it is happening in Pakistan.
From individual perspective, one needs sufficient literacy skills to participate and perform function in society's development. For instance, persons with adequate literacy skills can maintain better health by using their skills to understand and interpret health information. They can be better able to communicate clearly and nicely with their doctors, children, parents, teachers and all the people that are around themselves. Their daily routine works can become easier. Collectively, a literate community can become a dynamic community, that can changes ideas, opinions and engages in dialogue, that is more innovative and productive. The sharing of opinions, thoughts, ideas and perceptions on a national scenerio or in other events by the use of literacy abilities give rise a great mutual level of understanding and caring [https://projectLiteracy.com].
Similarly, economy is intensified when learners have higher literacy level. Influence and great literacy skills give chance to rise more educational and employment opportunities, so the people are able to pull themselves out of poverty. Literacy brings creativity and more entrepreneurship opportunities. Nations overall economic behavior is largely dependent on its literacy rate.
" Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in a modern society. It is a building block against poverty and a building block of development, an essential complement to investments in roads, dams, clinics and factories. Literacy is a platform for democratization and a vehicle for promotion of cultural and national identity."(Kofi Anna) [https://www.goodreads.com]
Globally, over the two decades the youth literacy rate enhanced from 83 percent to 91 percent. While the number of illiterate youth declined from 170 million to 115 million. Literacy is lowest in degraded countries and higher among gentlemen than women. In several countries such as in region of Central Africa youth literacy rates are less than 50 percent. In about 2 out of 3 countries, literacy equality between men and women has existence. However, particularly in west, central Africa and south Asia, illiterate women far outnumber their men counterparts. [https://data.unicef.org]
Literacy in US has enhanced through access to high-profile and skill based education and due to high standard vacations schedule. The US s' previous definition of literacy, the ability to read a simple sentence has changed into such definition that literacy is a ability to use printed and written information to function in society and to achieve a goal and to develop knowledge.[https://www.Wikipedia.org/literacy_in_the_united states]
As far as Pakistan is concerned, education and literacy rate always remain crucial. Literacy rate in Pakistan as compared to other countries is very low that has further reduced by 60 percent to 58 percent. Pakistan is a developing country with a need of observant and skill based education management and developed structure. Pakistan`s literacy level cannot meet the international standards because of weak education system, improper planning, lack of governmental interest, mass ignorance towards importance of literacy, nepotism, poverty and overpopulation. Moreover, there is no similar curriculum being taught all across the nation. Currently, Pakistan is recognized as the country with the second-highest number of out of school children with an estimated 22.8 million children between the ages of 5-16 not going to school, representing 44% of the total population. Between the age groups of 5-9, 5 million children are not enrolled in school or receiving any formal education. Schooling plays an important role in one's lifestyle. It is the foremost duty of the government to ensure that basic knowledge and skills needed to be a good citizen are given to everyone. Factors like the curriculum, learning materials, instructions, teaching techniques and the earning capacity of students should be given primary importance in order to enhance the literacy rate. For the economic development of the country, literacy rates are a major indicator. We have to work for development of Pakistan s' literacy standard. Unfortunately, our government does not seem willing for its development and progress [https://innews.pk/literacy rate in Pakistan_2020].
It is dire need of the hour to develop basic literay schools for adults as well as comprehensive planning and focus on education of younger generation. Government need to prioritize this issue if it really wants to serve nation. Moreover measures should be taken to revitalize literary culture. To cope with illiteracy, the Government of Pakistan should make serious decisions for provision of quality education. Similarly, the government should earnestly make plans for alleviating poverty, because it worsens the literacy rate. Giving equal opportunities for employment to all and eliminating nepotism and favoritism in government services would also bring good results. At individual level, literacy skills can be enhanced exposure to print, by intensified phonemic awareness and by excessive narration with each other. We can also improve literacy skills by enhancing text comprehension. Text comprehension is intensified by improving our attention span and by being more concentrated in reading [Pinantuan,Andrines.(2013).Adult literacy: Best reading comprehension, how to speed-read and some life changing literature to improve your life.https://www.opencolleges.edu.pk].
In a nutshell, literacy is extremely essential for the survival in era of competition, comprehension and the technological development. This is era where everyone wants to get excelled over others in different fields such as literacy, education, dressing and lifestyle etc. As we know ratio of literacy in Pakistan is low, we must pay attention to this and we have to improve our literacy and communication skills and have to become a well-educated nation by developing best platforms that can enhance the abilities and make our human resource valuable more valuable. There is a need to put our efforts at point of improvement, improvement by establishing best and different institutes, colleges and schools that polish and build up the minds of youth and adults to increase skills and talent to learn more. It is our responsibility as a student, as a teacher, as a governing body and as parents to take sufficient steps for literacy development in our homeland, Pakistan. We must bring the people of our villages forward so that they too can help in development and can be literates. Here I am going to share a helpful quote of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (R.A).
"You must concentrate on gaining knowledge and education. It is your responsibility, Political awareness of the era is also the part of your education. You must be aware of international events and environment. Education is matter of life and death for our country"[https://m_a_jinnah.blogspot.com/2010/11/quaid-e-azams_advice_to_students]