Abstract
Pakistan's record in spreading literacy among masses has not been very envi-ous. According to some recent estimates, UNESCO put literacy rate in Pakistan at a mere 35%. A reference to the 5th, Oth and 7th Five Year Plans of Pakistan shows that universalizing access to primary education in the country has been a focal point of these plans. But we see that despite allocation of resources worth billions of ru-pees, setting plausible targets, pious resolves and untiring claims, we still have ac cusing lingers pointed zit us at our continuous failure in achieving the desired liter-acy rate in Pakistan. This is particularly true of rural areas with special reference to female education. This paper takes a close look at the status of female education in three rural communities of Faisalabad district. It examines the level of participation in education of rural females and identifies the major constraints in their way for a better and fuller participation. The paper recommends that in a society like Pakistan where segregation is the norm, it is necessary not only to establish many more edu-cational institutions for rural females but also to remove socio-cultural constraints which discourage a spirit of independence and creativity in women.
INTRODUCTION
The observance of the International Literacy Day on the 8th of September, 11..)90 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of UN-ESCO's global effort to promote the cause of literacy and education. Being also the In-ternational Literacy Year, UNESCO has been gearing up to use the occasion for cre-ating awareness of the importance of educa-tion for human development and funda-mental freedoms. Practically, however, there appears little understanding of the urgent need of wiping out illiteracy in a global context, since education has not been the priority of large number of governments, specially in the Third World, for it is here
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that the great bulk of over one billion illiter-ates are concentrated (UNESCO, 1990).
Pakistani's record in the field of spreading literacy has been equally dismal, As per estimates of the 1981 Population Census, only 26,2% of the population in Pakistan was literate. UNESCO estimates put it at 35% today. The accurate position should be known next year after the 1991 Population Census. At any rate, both the figures are much lower than the averages for the whole world, the developing countries and the South Asian region. Whether the government is to blame or the socio-cultural outlook of the people has been the principal
