Islamabad: Pakistan’s public spending on education as a percentage to GDP continues to rank at the bottom end of global rankings, as its spending is (2.1 per cent as GDP percentage) lower than even Nepal that spends 3.2 per cent of GDP, revealed the Economic Survey-2009-2010.

With public spending on education as a percentage of GDP amongst the lowest in the chosen sample of eleven countries, the outcome with regard to literacy levels is not surprising. Within the region, only Bangladesh has a worse outcome on both indicators, spending by the public sector as well as literacy rate. The sources of the sample are World Bank, UNDP, UNESCO, FBS and Ministry of Education.

Nepal spends a substantial fraction more than Pakistan on education, while its literacy is marginally higher. The survey says: in the sample, China’s spending on education is not given, but its literacy is 93.7 pc; Vietnam spends 5.3 pc and its literacy rate is 92.5 pc; Iran spends 5.2 pc while its literacy rate has not been mentioned; Malaysia spends 4.7 pc and its literacy rate is 92.1 pc; Pakistan’s literacy rate is 57 pc; India spends 3.3 per cent on education, whereas its literacy rate has not been mentioned.

The overall literacy rate in Pakistan (age 10 years and above) is 57 per cent (69 per cent for male and 45 per cent for female) compared to 56 per cent (69 per cent for male and 44 per cent for female) for 2007-2008, the survey noted.

The data shows that literacy remains higher in urban areas (74 per cent) than in rural areas (48 per cent) and is more prevalent for men (69 per cent compared to women (45 per cent). However, it is evident from the data that overall female literacy is rising over time, but progress is uneven across the provinces.

When analysed provincially, literacy rate in Punjab stood at (59 per cent), Sindh (59 per cent), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (50 per cent) and Balochistan (45 per cent). The literacy rate of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has improved considerably during 2007-08 and to 2008-09.

Pointing out various problems and issues in the sector, the survey noted the poor quality of existing environment is evident from the fact that a large number of schools are missing basic infrastructure i.e. 37.7 per cent schools up to elementary level are without boundary wall, 33.9 per cent without drinking water facility, 37 per cent without latrines and around 60 per cent schools are without electricity.