The country’s youth literacy remained at 72 per cent at national level, proportionately higher in urban areas with 84 per cent than in rural areas with 65 per cent, according to Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM-2019-20) conducted by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The country’s Youth Literacy is calculated from the age 15-24 years and for the first time it is being calculated in PSLM District Level Survey 2019-20.
The PSLM District Level Survey 2019-20 results reveals Punjab to be at top among all provinces in Youth literacy with 78 per cent, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 67 per cent, while Balochistan is at lowest with 57 per cent.
Furthermore, the Youth literacy in Islamabad is reported 93 per cent.
However, district wise comparison reveals that Narowal and Sialkot with 93 per cent, Korangi with 92 per cent, Abbottabad with 95 per cent, Pishin and Quetta with 76 per cent are at top in their respective provinces, while Rajanpur with 52 per cent, Kashmore with 31 per cent, Mohmand with 30 per cent and Shaheed Sikandarabad with 11 per cent are at bottom in their respective provinces.
On the other hand, the adult literacy remained stagnant at 57 per cent in 2019-20 as in 2014-15. The regional comparison shows 2 per cent decline in urban areas with 72 per cent in 2019-20 as compared to 74 per cent in 2014-15.
This percentage inclines in rural areas with 48 per cent in 2019-20 as compared to 46 per cent in 2014-15. Further, gender pattern depicts that percentage of males are higher with 68 per cent than in females with 46 per cent.
Similarly, provincial comparison shows that Punjab is at top among all provinces with 61 per cent in 2019-20 as compared to 60 per cent in 2014-15, followed by Sindh with 57 per cent as compared to 58 per cent in 2014-15 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has shown increasing trend with 49 per cent during the period 2019-20 as compared to 47 per cent in 2014-15.
However, Balochistan is at bottom with 44 per cent in 2019- 20 as compared to 38 per cent in 2014-15.
The adult literacy in capital city Islamabad is reported 84 per cent. Similarly, district wise comparison reveals that Rawalpindi with 80 per cent, Korangi with 83 per cent, Abbottabad with 71 per cent and Quetta with 63 per cent are the top most districts in their respective provinces.
However, Rajanpur with 37 per cent, Tharparkar with 26 per cent, Mohmand with 20 per cent and Shaheed Sikandarabad with 11 per cent are at bottom in their respective provinces.
It is pertinent to mention here that the PSLM 2019-20 is the twelveth round of a series of surveys, initiated in 2004.
The current round of PSLM District level survey covered 5,893 blocks and 176,790 households and provide district level indicators on Education, Health, Housing, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Information Communication and Technology (ICT), Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES).