Literacy Trends in Pakistan - UNESCO Islamabad

11. CURRENT LITERACY SITUATION IN PAKISTANThe overall literacy rate in Pakistan has been improving albeit at a very slow pace. In 1951, the overall literacy rate in Pakistan was 16.41 %.After 50 years, the current estimated literacy rate for 2003 is 51.13%. Roughly, and on an average, literacy rate in Pakistan has been growing atthe rate of 3.085* % annually. On the other hand, the total number of illiterates in Pakistan has almost doubled in absolute numbers. In 1951,there were only 22.54 million illiterates in Pakistan, 1998 Census results show that illiterate population has risen to 48.84 million. In terms ofprovincial comparisons, during the period of 1981 to 1998, the literacy rate in the province of Punjab increased at a rate of 3.1681* %, while thatof the province of Sindh marked the slowest/lowest rate of literacy growth, of 2.1588* %. The analysis becomes more interesting andastonishing when we study the district level trends, particularly the male-female disparities.The literacy scenario based on the 1998 census, has been presented in detailed statistical tables in PART-II of this report. Analysis in respect ofmale–female and rural-urban disparities is presented in the following tables (6-9).* Formula used for calculating the annual growth rate is given in the Annex-A at the end.16