Representatives of global and local institutions working for the advancement of education, social figures, scholars and others have emphasised that efforts to increase education and literacy in Sindh should prioritise providing basic education in children’s mother tongue.
Furthermore, steps to promote multilingual education should be strengthened so that future generations can enhance communication and learn from one another. These thoughts were expressed by speakers during an event held at Karachi’s Marriott Hotel in connection with World Literacy Day.
The event, which was organised by the Directorate of Literacy and Non-Formal Education, was titled ‘Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace’.
In his address as the chief guest, Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that there is a need to further activate the informal education mechanism to ensure out-of-school children in Sindh not only complete their education but also gain skills.
“In this regard, 100 informal education centres are being established in each district. In the first phase, these 3,000 centres will provide both education and vocational training to children who have dropped out of school.”
He further said that the majority of out-of-school children come from families where economic needs take precedence over education. “Unfortunately, due to a lack of population control, families focus more on economic benefits than on education. As a result, these children are exploited — a cycle that continues from generation to generation.”
The provincial minister said that accurate statistics are not being compiled by the federal government. According to him, there are over 10 million children enrolled at public, private and public-private partnership schools, and registered at religious seminaries, while over four million children are out of school.
He said that the informal education system will be used to help these children complete their education, adding that only two per cent of the GDP is being spent on education.
“If the funds currently given to independent power producers were to be allocated to education, many challenges could be addressed. However, our priorities are unfortunately different.”
Sindh School Education Secretary Zahid Ali Abbasi emphasised the need to recognise a child’s right to be educated in their mother tongue. “In economically strong countries, education is provided in the native language. We need to move beyond the complex surrounding English, and focus on teaching children through activity-based learning methods.”
He said that a curriculum for mid-tech education has already been prepared in Sindh. “With the growth of classes, the curriculum in Sindh is taught in Urdu, Sindhi and English.”
Social activist Shehzad Roy said that teaching licences have been introduced in Sindh, and teaching is now recognised as a complete profession. This initiative will bear fruit in the future, he added.
“Sindh has pioneered several initiatives, including the hiring of music teachers. Creativity can emerge from anywhere, and it is our responsibility to provide opportunities to the youth in the future.”
Writer and politician Javed Jabbar remarked that it is essential to explain what is being taught to children. “Many people may not be literate but can still use mobile phones. The United Nations’ message this year is to understand and achieve education, and there is also a need to work on digital literacy.”
Sindh Education Foundation Managing Director Qazi Kabir highlighted the importance of considering children’s interests. “If a child is struggling with learning, they should be taken as a case study to understand how they can progress using other skills. Not everything can be taught through formal methods.”
Unicef representative Prem Bahadur said in his speech that although he is from Nepal, he understands Urdu, and this knowledge of Urdu has made working in Sindh easier for him. “Learning another language becomes a strength.”
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) representative Abid Gill emphasised that literacy should include understanding what is being consumed and taught beyond just reading and writing.
Non-Formal Education Director Abdul Jabbar Mari mentioned that the establishment of 3,000 informal education centres in Sindh would help 90,000 out-of-school children not only complete their education but also receive skill-based education.
“These centres are being set up in areas with a high number of out-of-school children, and the centres’ operational hours will be adjusted to suit the children’s convenience.”
At the event, the informal education curriculum was also unveiled for the first time in the country. It was prepared by Sindh up to the middle-school level.
The curriculum is designed in accordance with middle-school standards. At the end of the event, commendation shields were also presented to representatives of the organisations working in the field of education.