PESHAWAR: The Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network has called upon every educated person to teach those, who can`t read or write.

According to a press release issued by Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network here on Tuesday, the civil society members observed International Literacy Day with the theme `Literacy is the only key for sustainable development`.

On the occasion, several activists and students termed lack of funds, facilities and infrastructure as the main reasons of low literacy rate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Spealcing on the occasion, Shafeeg Gigyani, a young activist representing Poha (awareness) organisation, demanded of the government to set up adult literacy centres.

`In 2007, the provincial government changed the name and functions of the directorate of schools and literacy to directorate of elementary and secondary education, after that there is no government mechanism for informal education or literacy centres for adults in the province,` he said.

Ibrahim Aiengar, another activist called for a mass literacy campaign in the province with slogan `each one should teach`. He said that he along with other volunteers had distributed thousands of copies of primer workbook.

`The primer workbook is so easy to understand. Educated youth took interest in the campaign by providing basic education to uneducated people. This workbook is also distributed through Internet and many individual printed and taught through this workbool(,` he added.

Qamar Naseem, representing Blueviens organisation, said that literacy rate in the country was 58 per cent which didn`t meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for education.

`The net primary enrolment ratio, which should have been 100 per cent by the end of this year, has remained constant at 57 per cent since 2011-12. While in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, increase in female literacy rate gave the overall rate a boost of one per cent taking it to 53 per cent,` said Naseem.

Taimur Kamal, coordinator Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network, said that government should enhance female literacy rate as well. Bureau Report