Inaugural Session:

The Consultation Meeting was inaugurated by Dr. Nasim Ashraf chairman`NCHD.

Mr. Inayatullah President PACADE welcomed the chief guest, Dr. Nasim Ashraf, and made a detailed presentation on the Concept and Practice of Post-literacy (based on guide lines provided by UNESCO Islamabad office).A copy of the power point presentation may be seen
at the annexure 1I.

In his address Mr. Nasim Ashraf very much appreciated the initiative taken by UNESCO and PACADE to organize the consultation on a comparatively neglected subject of post-literacy. He highlighted the NCHD'S programme for EFA being operated in all the four provinces. The programme was being up scaled so as to cover the whole country. The programme would be implemented in phases. The NCHD'S basic adult literacy course is for a period of five months. He informed the participants that a post-literacy program was also being launched. The Workshops were being held to finalize the contents of the post-literacy course and
the required reading material.

Mr. Arshad Saeed Khan representing UNESCO emphasized the need for a workable and effective post-literacy component of the basic literacy programmes in Pakistan. He also referred to a new UNESCO initiative i.e. "Life" – Literacy Initiative For Empowerment. He hopes that the experienced and eminent participants present at the Meeting would make a valuable contribution to the concept and practice of post-literacy.

Mr. Allan Rogers, a UK literacy specialist, also spoke on the occasion. He stressed the need for post-literacy as the learners could relapse into illiteracy if they did not use the literacy skills in their daily lives. He also underscored the value of imparting life skills and awareness raising regarding nutrition, first-aid, environment, household management and the importance of participation in political and cultural activities.

A question, answer session was also held by the participants with the chairman NCHD.

Second Session:

In the Second Session, the participants from the Federal Ministry of Education, NCHD, Provincial governments and the NGOs made their brief presentations. Each presentation was followed by clarifications and questions. The session was chaired by Ms. Shaheen Attique-u-
Rehman, executive director Bunyad.

The major points emerging from this session related to:

a) Importance of the realization that imparting basic literacy skills was not enough. It is equally necessary that these skills were used by the learners in their daily lives.

b) Awareness raising component should be included in both during the basic literacy phase and in the post-literacy programme.

c) Life is as important as the basic literacy skills.

d) The income generation skills needed to be imparted if feasible. Learners should also be guided in regard to marketing of the products.

e) Appropriate reading material was needed to be developed for post-literacy.

f) Training of the teachers and the supervisors should include the skills needed for successfully running the post-literacy phase.

Third Session:

In this Session the participants were divided into two groups - Group I to discuss the concepts of post-literacy and the other group, practice and approaches to post-literacy programme.

Group I Findings and Recommendations regarding CONCEPT:

1. Post-literacy is a process for reinforcing, consolidating and adding to skills, knowledge and awareness after acquiring basic literacy. It includes additional content about basic literacy, life and income generation skills.

2. Post-literacy curriculum should be need-based.

3. Post-literacy is a learning process which enables learners to cope with more effectively, daily-life tasks and problems.

4. It is a means to transmit culture and values.

5. It should help raise awareness about the environment and such needs as information about nutrition, healthcare, child care, better household management.

6. It should help village women become more self confident and self reliant.

7. It should help improve the quality of life of the learners. ''

Group II — Approaches & Practices:-
Findings and Recommendations:

1. A post-literacy programme for six months after the learning of basic literacy skills of reading, writing and elementary calculations is necessary.

2. Whenever possible, the post literacy program should lead to the creation of community- based learning centres.

3. The contents of the post-literacy course need to be identified keeping in view the objectives of consolidation, imparting of life-and-income generation skills and self learning. Religious readings be included.

4. Carefully prepared material based on the mentioned contents and relating to learners' needs and aspirations should be used in the centre.

5. The needs and requisites of equivalency with reference to formal school system should be kept in view.

6. There should be an institutionalized and a professional approach to the instructional methodology.

7. To train teachers training centres and training institutes should be established.

8. The neo-literates should be issued a certificate after the completion of the course.

9. Linkages should be developed with the government and other agencies working for the welfare of people in the rural areas.

10. Learners passing out of the post-literacy learning centres should be encouraged to continue learning on their own for which box-or-small libraries should be opened in villages. Also they should be motivated to join formal schools.

11. Community learning centres should be set up, wherever feasible.

12. There should be a long term commitment on the part of government to support
post-literacy and self learning programs.

13. There is need for a capacity-building program for NGOs working for literacy (and Post-literacy).