Uproot illiteracy, the root cause of economic backwardness

The globalised world of 21st century, as we know, is more advanced in terms of science, technology, education and culture. People of all sectors-- specially the rich, ultra-rich and the educated ones-- relish the fruits of lives. In this scenario, the shocking news revealed by UNESCO is that as of today, more than 781 million ill-fated adults remain out of basic literacy skills, 58 million children are out-of-school at the primary level and 63 million out-of-children at the secondary school. More than 250 million children of primary school age are reported to acquire basic literacy skills. This news undoubtedly reverberates the impression that the world leaders, at home and abroad, fail to provide education, the basic human rights to the millions of people. The constitutions of most of the countries, UN Human Charter, UNESCO Declaration on Human Rights past and present, guarantee, at least in paper, "education for all". The outrageous illiteracy at global level portrays a caliginous and stymieing picture.
In developing and underdeveloped countries around the world, the state leaders, economists and policy-makers undertake heterogeneous economic development programmes like sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, employment generation and so forth without more emphasis on education. The plebeian planning of these countries leaves the large number of people of various ages in the rancorous circle of illiteracy, deprives the general mass from enjoying the fruits of modern civilisation and ordained to ever-lasting and extreme-poverty. Economic development, opulence of life cannot move together with illiteracy. From the primeval time to present time, education had been considered as the steam-roller for economic emancipation. In the 7th century BC Chinese philosopher Guan Zhong genuinely said, "If you plan for a year, plant a seed. If for ten years, plant a tree. If for a hundred years, teach the people. When you sow a seed once, you will reap a single harvest. When you teach the people, you will reap a hundred harvests".
Illiteracy is a curse for a society, for a country. Naiveté and economic progress cannot stay together nor do they move together. A country which accomplished 100% literacy is frugally, monetarily and generally encyclopaedic and unwavering than that of a country with more than fifty per cent illiteracy. The economic growth, evolution and armistice of a country hinge on the literacy rate of that country. According to the recent study conducted by UNESCO, countries with a literacy rate of ninety six per cent above, have per capita annual income of more than USD 12,500 while countries with literacy rate below fifty five per cent have per capita annual income of USD 600. A country's per capita income economically is considered to be an indicator of economic and human development. Thus the lower is the illiteracy rate, the higher is the per capita income and greater development and evolution.
The globalised world is economically divided into developed world, developing world and underdeveloped world. Numerous analyses and survey reports of analysts, economists and social scientists divulge the facts that developed countries have the highest literacy rate than that of developing and underdeveloped countries since long time back. If we go back to the education history of the modern developed countries like Japan, USA, UK, USSR, Germany, France, Korea, Singapore, etc. we come to know that all these countries introduced compulsory education in the nineteenth century to eradicate illiteracy. For example, Japan created the Ministry of Education in 1872 and made elementary education mandatory for Japanese children of both sexes. In the United States of America, compulsory education was first established in Massachusetts in 1852. Only because of education, all these countries have reached the crescendo of development.
Why don't the developing countries and under developed countries in Asia and Africa, including Bangladesh, come up with idea of compulsory education and eradicate the illiteracy remains a valid question. The leaders of the developed world epitomised the significance of education and undertook prismatic and convoluted educational programmes to educate the mass population in the fastest way. The wise-decision, performance-focused planning and time-tested educational programmes by the leaders of the developed countries  made the countries and their people more advanced in science, technology and research in comparison with the developing and underdeveloped countries. As a result people of these countries are enjoying better lives, better standard of living and are free from hunger, poverty and poor health. Uprooting illiteracy is sine qua non for economic deliverance of the mass people. Short term, medium term and long term planning to exterminate illiteracy are extremely essential for the countries which are far behind in education. Compulsory education up to secondary level has been time-tested and considered as the best and swiftest way to educate the mass people. The developing and underdeveloped countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America may endeavour to implement compulsory education to reduce illiteracy at the fastest rate.
Needless to say that Bangladesh achieved independence after sacrificing the valuable lives of three million people during the liberation period. People of Bangladesh scarified the lives for the cause of freedom, for the cause of political sovereignty and economic salvation. More than 42 years had elapsed since the country got its independence; still the country failed to achieve the minimum desirable rate of literacy (80%). The literacy rate of Bangladesh is: male 61.3% and female 52.2% and the average rate of literacy is 56.8%.  It means that 43.2% of its population that is 69.12 million people of Bangladesh is illiterate according to Bureau of Statistics of Bangladesh. It is really a shocking news that 43.2% people of an independent country cannot read and write in their mother language in the 21st century when majority of the countries of developed world maintain 100% literacy rate. This sorry picture of education in the country draws the attention of the policy-makers of the country.
Forty two years is pretty good time to bring remarkable change in a country like Bangladesh. During the last forty two years, forty two annual budgets were made, many long term planning have been undertaken without giving top most priority on eradication of illiteracy. Education is the intrepidity and strong foundation of a country. Without education no country, no nation can advance and achieve economic progress. Illiteracy and economic development cannot coincide and move forward simultaneously. Bangladesh cannot be an exception in this respect. With 161 million people in an area of 147,570 square kilometres, Bangladesh is the 8th largest in the world in population. It is one of the most densely populated countries and endowed with limited natural resources. Human resources of Bangladesh are the main resources which provide USD 1 billon to the Government of Bangladesh every month in terms of foreign remittances. Bangladesh has to rely more than most of the developing countries on its human resources for peace, progress and prosperity.
The naturally oil-rich countries in the middle-east, Africa and Latin America, are far behind in science and technology, due to lack of proper educational programmes, due to high illiteracy in these countries. "Arab World rife with illiteracy and lacks innovation," UN report says. UN report finds one third of Arabs are illiterate and only $10 per person spent on scientific research.
The level of education, research and innovation in the Arab world is appalling, a new United Nations report has claimed. Social scientists and national philanthropists call illiteracy as "evil" in the society that creates unbound sufferings for the people in the form of social-unrests, riots, feudal conflicts, racism, fighting among different sects of people, corruption, indiscipline, diseases and many more. Sub-Saharan countries, few countries in Asia and Africa are showing the worst effects of illiteracy and ignorance in the society. High illiteracy makes the lives of the people of these countries opprobrious and hapless.
In the knowledge-based era of economic growth and development, education has been seen as the fountainhead of knowledge of science and technology and has added top most importance. In fact education works as a strong force in the development process of a country and brings much-needed technological advancement and changes which make the economy more competitive and innovative by development of human capital with better expertise, skill and professionalism. Education is considered to have analogy with social and economic development.
A society of more literate nationals has better chance of development at the economic and social levels than a society of more illiterate nationals. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and Education International, the global union of teachers asserted that; "Education is an investment in the future of individuals and societies. On the eve of 21st Century, the right to education is nothing more than the right to participate in the life of modern world". The world of uneducated people is like a vast endless desert where literacy is like a sanctuary, an abundant land with fresh water flowing and majestic palm trees growing. Illiteracy keeps people chained to ignorance, arrogance and superstition and is a colossal obstacle in the path of civilisation. Literacy comes with awareness and awareness brings headway, culture and civilisation. Illiteracy brings obliviousness, and obliviousness leads to wars, feudalism and controversies.
Latest studies by World Statistics Institute (WSI) show that over 27% of the people are illiterate globally. This rate is very frightening. Long term plan, budgetary support, political will and upbeat decision from the governments and the communities of the developing and underdeveloped countries are becoming more important day by day. To save the millions of people who are maintaining apocalyptic lives, severely suffering from the wrath of illiteracy, "education for all" programme must be there in the national fiscal policy, national budget and monetary policy of the governments of the illiteracy-flippant countries around the globe.
 

The writer is the CFO of a private group of industries,
[email protected]