Literacy in the digital era

On September 8, the world observed International Literacy Day. For Pakistan, this day is not ceremonial but a call to action. Literacy is the bedrock of economic strength, social harmony and national dignity. Without it, no nation can aspire to prosperity or stability.

This year’s theme — ‘Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era’ – speaks directly to Pakistan’s greatest challenge and greatest opportunity. While countries on the path to development are already achieving a 90% literacy rate, Pakistan continues to struggle at around 60%. This is unacceptable — a national emergency.

Even more alarming is the fact that 25 million children in Pakistan are still out of school. Every one of them represents a dream deferred and a future compromised. We cannot afford to abandon them. No society can achieve peace or progress when one-third of its children are denied the most basic right to education.

In today’s knowledge economy, literacy has moved beyond the ability to read and write text. It now means digital literacy – the ability to access, navigate and create in the digital space. Without digital literacy, citizens are excluded from jobs, governance and even basic services.

In Pakistan, a farmer in Narowal checking market prices on a phone, a student in Gwadar attending an online class, a doctor in Gilgit using telemedicine – all depend on digital literacy. This is why we are pursuing a dual mission: to complete the unfinished task of universal literacy and to leapfrog into digital literacy for every citizen.

I say it clearly: literacy in Pakistan is a national emergency. We are mobilising the state and society with the same urgency as we do during floods or earthquakes. Every lost year condemns millions more to exclusion. We are not waiting. We are acting now.

Through the National Literacy Dashboard, launched this year by the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, we are tracking enrollment, literacy rates and dropout trends in real time. 

This system has introduced transparency and accountability. For the first time, policymakers, researchers and citizens can monitor progress online, province by province, district by district.

But dashboards alone are not enough. This government is moving on the ground. We have established clear provincial targets for literacy, which are linked to resource allocation. 

Provincial governments are already scaling up literacy programs. Chief ministers have been tasked with expanding outreach in every district, and progress is monitored quarterly at the federal level.

The reality of 25 million children out of school is a national shame, but it is also a national motivator. We are acting decisively. We are expanding public-private partnerships to bring low-cost schooling to underserved areas. We are integrating digital and community-based learning models to reach children in remote villages. 

We are aligning Ehsaas-style social protection programmes to ensure poverty does not keep children out of school. And we are engaging religious seminaries to integrate literacy and numeracy into their curricula.

Our goal is ambitious but non-negotiable: to bring every child into school by 2030, and to raise literacy to 90% by 2035. Our faith strengthens our resolve. The very first word revealed in the Quran was “Iqra”: Read. Literacy is not only a developmental necessity; it is a religious duty. Every Muslim must learn to read the Quran. 

That obligation alone makes literacy universal. This government is engaging with ulema across Pakistan to emphasise this message in Friday sermons and community gatherings. When mosques become partners in the literacy mission, the movement will reach every household.

In Pakistan’s diverse society, literacy must be multilingual. Children learn best in their mother tongue in the early years. That is why we are supporting provincial initiatives for mother-tongue-based education.

Urdu will continue to be our national link language, English our global connector, but Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Saraiki and other languages are our bridges of identity and inclusion. This multilingual approach is not a luxury; it is essential for retention, equity and unity.

Pakistan today has nearly 190 million mobile phone users. This is our greatest opportunity. We are harnessing smartphones and tablets to deliver literacy at scale. 

AI-based literacy apps in local languages are being deployed. Telecommunication companies are partnering with the government under Digital Literacy Alliances. CSR initiatives are funding literacy platforms that bring schools into homes.

We are building an E-Pakistan where every child and adult acquires not just the ability to read and write, but also the ability to thrive in the digital economy.

The government’s economic transformation plan, URAAN Pakistan, envisions a $1 trillion economy by 2035 through its 5Es framework – Equity, E-Pakistan, Exports, Environment and Energy & Infrastructure – all of which rest on the foundation of literacy. 

Without literacy, equity is impossible; without digital literacy, E-Pakistan is meaningless; without literate workers, exports cannot diversify; without literate farmers, climate adaptation will fail; and without literate technicians, energy systems cannot function effectively.

URAAN Pakistan cannot take off with 40% of the nation left behind. That is why literacy is not just an education priority but the foundation of our economic strategy.

Keeping in mind this year’s Literacy Day, Pakistan is aligning efforts with Unesco, Unicef, World Bank, ADB and UNDP. We are channelling resources, expertise and best practices into our programmes. But international cooperation alone is not enough. The real battleground is at the provincial level. 

Provinces have been directed to lead literacy drives as flagship missions. Literacy is now a top governance priority, alongside health and security. The federal government is providing financial and policy support, but implementation must occur in classrooms and communities.

Let us be clear: failure is not an option, for the cost of neglect is too high. Economically, Pakistan risks remaining trapped in low-value industries; socially, illiteracy fuels inequality, unemployment, and extremism; politically, a population unable to read and analyse is vulnerable to disinformation; and globally, without digital literacy, Pakistan will be excluded from the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

That is why we are not merely recommending literacy, we are committing to it. As federal minister for planning, development & special initiatives, I make this pledge: we will not allow 25 million children to remain out of school; we will achieve over 75% literacy by 2035; we will integrate digital literacy into every school and community programme; we will mobilise faith leaders, civil society and the private sector as partners; and we will ensure no child, no youth, no citizen is left behind.

As we approach Pakistan’s centenary in 2047, the question is simple: will we remain a nation of 60% literacy while the world moves ahead with 90%? The answer is no. This government has declared literacy a national emergency. We are acting with urgency, with conviction and with faith.

We pledge that Pakistan will not only defeat illiteracy but also lead in digital literacy. Our children will be able to read the Quran, write their own creative futures and code their digital tomorrow. This is the Pakistan of 1947’s dream. This is the Pakistan of 2047’s destiny.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this piece are the writer's own and don't necessarily reflect Geo.tv's editorial policy.

The writer is the federal minister for planning, development, and special initiatives. He tweets/posts @betterpakistan and can be reached at: [email protected]

Originally published in The News