Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday highlighted the importance of increasing the literacy rate in the country to achieve national development and prosperity. “There is not a single country in the world that has progressed without achieving a 90 percent literacy rate,” he said while addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of the Center of Excellence for Childhood Development at the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) Vice Chancellor Secretariat. As per the data of the 7th Digital Census-2023, he regretted that Pakistan’s literacy rate stood at around 61 per cent, stressing the need for improvement to enable the younger generation to compete in the era of digital revolution and rapid innovation that has transformed all fields. "In today’s world, the competition has shifted from pen literacy to digital literacy, intellect and capability in research and development," he added. The minister underscored the urgent need to invest in human resource development for real progress, recalling the historical achievements of Muslims in science and research. Calling the establishment of the Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Development a 'great achievement,' Ahsan Iqbal noted its importance as international research showed early years were crucial for children's development. He highlighted that the center would promote research, training, and best practices, adding "Through this center, educators, researchers and policymakers will collaborate on creative, professional, and strategic strategies. He emphasized on promoting critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills right from the early years. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Chairman Rupani Foundation Nasruddin Rupani, UNICEF Representative Joshua Kakaire, Vice Chancellor Allama Iqbal Open University, Dr. Nasir Mehmood, Chairman Department of Early Childhood Education Dr. Muhammad Athar Hussain and senior officials from relevant stakeholder organizations.
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