2. EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS

Rather than increasing, in the last sixty years, the literacy rate has decreased as the schools have not kept up with the population explosion. Sadly, most people in the villages cannot read or write. There is no national standardized educational system. Because of the large number of children, many poor parents, who do not practice family planning, send their children to madrassas, religious schools, as they get free food and shelter in those institutions. It is ironic that many of these madrassas are funded by Saudi Arabia to promote their fundamentalist interpretation of Islam and literal interpretation of Quran. For children to accept blind faith rather than learn critical and creative thinking can be a serious concern for any nation.

Pakistan is the only country I know where many children do not get their primary education in their native language. Rather than studying in Punjabi, Pushto, Balochi and Sindhi, many children are taught in Urdu, English and Arabic which are not their mother tongues.

Pakistan emergency: 20 million affected by devastating floods

The number of people affected by the floods is worse than the tsunami, the 2005 Pakistan earthquake and the Haiti earthquake says the UN.

3 million people are homeless. 450,000 homes have been destroyed or badly damaged.

With their homes and livestock destroyed, millions of families have had their lives turned upside down. Displaced families are camping on roadsides. Many lack shelter, food, and clean water.
Cholera has been confirmed and other deadly water-borne diseases are a very real possibility.  

Our goal is to reach and serve 2 million of the most vulnerable survivors, but the needs are massive and growing fast.
"The people of Pakistan urgently need the support of the international community," said Mengesha Kebede, UNHCR representative to Pakistan. "The monsoon floods that swept across the land destroyed homes, farms, factories and entire livelihoods for millions of people."