President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have called for recommitting to the national cause of promoting the universal right to education.

In his message on occasion International Literacy Day today, President Asif Ali Zardari renewed the commitment of government to make education accessible to all. He said education has been declared a fundamental right in the Constitution of Pakistan under Article 25-A.

The President highlighted the government’s initiatives to overcome the challenge of illiteracy including the declaration of a National Educational Emergency, to enroll out-of-school children, the Prime Minister’s Roshan Pakistan Literacy Drive, Conditional Cash Transfers up to the higher secondary level through Benazir Taleemi Wazaif and stipends for students in all districts of Pakistan.

The President called for recommitting to the national cause of promoting the universal right to education. In his message, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said the government is pursuing a comprehensive plan to integrate technology in education with an aim to equip youth with skills for the digital economy.

In his message on International Literacy Day today, he said literacy is a basic human and constitutional right. The Prime Minister said today, we reaffirm the resolve to advance the education agenda and strive for a more informed and sustainable nation.

He urged the people to work together to promote literacy and education for all and build a brighter future for our children and the country. Shehbaz Sharif said education and literacy are guarantors of our bright future, for being a gateway to empowerment, economic opportunity and social mainstreaming.

He mentioned the government’s initiatives for promotion of education including a nationwide student enrollment drive, provision of mid-day meals in schools, scholarships and other incentives to reduce dropout rates and encourage every child to complete their education.