ISLAMABAD - The literacy rate in the country has witnessed one per cent improvement during this fiscal year and reached 58 per cent which was 57 per cent two years ago.
Besides, adult literacy rate has also improved from 54 per cent to 55 per cent while primary and middle school gross enrolment rate registered one per cent increase, an official from Planning and Development Division said on Wednesday.
The official said there are also mixed trends seen in other areas according to Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey and showed improved during the year in terms of water supply and sanitation indicators. The sanitation situation at household level has registered an increase as now 66 per cent of population is using better toilets facilities.
As far as access to drinking water to urban and rural population is concerned, it has also improved 94 per cent and 84 per cent respectively, with an average of 87 per cent this year, the official maintained. He further informed that a committee of poverty experts estimating Poverty Headcount as well as poverty correlates and added it is also considering all dimensions of poverty.
The report of the committee would be available shortly, he added.