Promotion of education in Islamic world stressed

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Iranian and Pakistani experts at a regional meeting on Tuesday stressed for promotion of education in Islamic world.

 They made the remarks at the opening session of sub-regional experts meeting on efficient strategies to gear Islamic funds for literary and adult education.

The workshop was jointly organized by Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) regional office Tehran and Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO and ISESCO at Islamabad.

Member of Iran's Parliament, Mohammad Hassan Dogani on the occasion said education is given high importance in Islam. He said that basis of development of every society is education. “Attaining a high quality education is considered inevitable for economic, political, social and cultural development”, he noted.

He stated that continent of Asia does not have acceptable access to quality education. The lawmaker added surveys show that about half of the 774 million adult population of the world, who does not have access to education, are residing in Asia.

He said Asia and some Islamic countries are grappling with big challenges such as negative impacts of the global financial crises, poverty and low economic growth, lack of food, security, cultural impediments, natural disasters.

“We should not forget that parliaments of member states, under their special systems can play an effective role in expediting realization of education”, said Mohammad Hassan Dogani.

He added Islamic Revolution of Iran is a cultural revolution. He said the strategic position of education was defined in 1979 in the fundamental law of Iran.

Mohammad Hassan Dogani added that in the first days of victory of Islamic Revolution, with command of Imam Khomeini, Iran was changed to a large school.

He said by the strategic development program of ‘Islamic Republic of Iran by 2015 we should get the first position in science and technology in Middle East’.

Muhammad Ikram Secretary General of Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO and ISESCO expressed the hope that the meeting would proved to be a success.

He underscored the need for promoting education in Muslim countries.

He said that the objective of the workshop is to enhance cooperation between the ISESCO member states in the education sector. He said the meeting would try to design a plan for implementing basic education in Islamic countries.

He said this program would further promote cooperation between ISESCO and Pakistan National Commission.

Dr. Abbas Sadri Director of ISESCO expressed gratitude to Pakistan for holding the workshop. He said ISESCO members have decided to take the literacy rate in member countries upto 100 percent in ten years.

He said in 2002 a report was prepared on the achievements of the ISESCO.

He said that Literacy Movement Organization (LMO) was established after the Islamic Revolution in Iran in order to achieve a good literacy rate.

Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei has ordered to establish nation document plan for education. He said that out of 600 activities of ISESCO, 200 are on education.

Dr. Abbas Sadri added ISESCO is very much concerned about higher education in Muslim countries. “We have very good financial order in Islam”, he said.

“In Iran we have very good experience of charity organization for education”, he said.

Muhammad Dawood Deputy Secretary General of Pakistan National Commission for UNESCO and ISESCO expressing his views said that literacy is very important for Islamic point of view any muslin who is illiterate cannot be a true Muslim.

He said knowledge is a legacy of Muslims. He said Iran is a brotherly country and has always helped Pakistan in difficult times.

Mr. Dawood said that there is no escape of education. “People demand education but we lack funds”, he said.

Talat Khursheed Advisor on Higher Education Commission said that Pakistan after independence in 1947 organized first education conference.

He said that education is given high importance in Pakistan. He said collection of resources is not the problems but the dispersion of resources is the real problem.

Chief Guest on the occasion Joint Secretary Khusro Pervez said that there is an army of teachers in Pakistan but they lack proper training.

He said that ISESCO member states should cooperate in this area. “We need to work on improving the quality of teachers”, he said.

In the end of the session souvenirs were presented to all participants.

/129