Human capital development has become a buzzword in the new world economic order. It is taken as a prerequisite for economic development. In economic literature, education or quantitatively measured literacy rate is considered the main component of human capital development. Notwithstanding the abstract blessings of literacy, it is totally ignored that an increase in literacy rate
neither leads to automatic economic growth nor results in broadening of mental horizons or cultural enhancement of individuals and society. The qualitative aspects of education -- the curriculum and the medium of education -- are not part of analysis or policymaking inputs.

On the quantitative level, the literacy does not translate itself into industrialisation and economic growth. There are scores of countries in the world -- many in the Arab world and in South America -- that have full literacy but no concurring industrialisation or significant economic growth. Further, despite 100 per cent literacy, the worldview and outlook of many Arab countries remain as primitive and tribal as it was 50 years back. It shows that the quantitative increase in literacy is not enough and one should not expect any economic or social miracle by increasing the number of schools only.

Many countries embarked upon industrialisation without having 100 per cent literacy. Western European countries in general and England in particular did not had have full literacy at the time of their Industrial Revolution. As a matter of fact, mass literacy programmes were undertaken when the industry and commerce required masses of literate workers. Similarly, the East Asian countries could not have been able to take the high road of industrialisation just because of their higher literacy rates. Their literacy rates too increased with economic growth. That is, mass education assisted the advancement of economic growth and vice versa.

Therefore, it is extremely misleading to project and portray as if the increase in the literacy rate will rub the Aladin's magic lamp. Anyway, in Pakistan mass literacy even in quantitative terms will remain unachievable because of the medium of education. Historically, may it be Europe, Asia or South America, only those countries have attained higher literacy rates where mother tongues
were/are used as the medium of instruction at the elementary and secondary level of schooling.

England had scant literacy rate when Latin was the medium of instruction. The literacy rates improved when French was adopted, but it still remained limited to middle income groups. Mass literacy was only achieved when English, the mother tongue of the inhabitants, was made the medium of education. Similarly, none of the newly industrialised countries of East Asia impart education in any other language other than their own atleast up to high school level.

However, it is interesting that our national and international experts, wedded to quantitative measures in every other sphere of life, forget (or ignore) the correlation between mass literacy and use of mother tongue as the medium of education. But for the English medium Anglicised elite, running the show at the international and national agencies, imparting education through mother tongues in Pakistan is a moot point. They argue that the globalisation of economy requires that the children should be more proficient in international languages. They completely ignore that a child cannot develop a real knowledge base in any other language than his mother tongue. Some examples from our next door neighbour, India, are revealing in this regard.

Southern states of India are very indigenous in tradition and culture and strict in imparting education in their mother tongues. Southern India is the area where the most advanced computer technology is taking roots. Every one interested in Indian computer programming goes to South India. In comparison, North India, linguistically messed up like us, has not been able to match the South, despite its bragging of being advanced and global.

Numerous studies have shown that a broader knowledge base in society is created through indigenous language and culture. Even in Pakistan, most individuals engaged in any real life production processes, involving complicated mechanisms, get instructions in their own language. Survey any factory, mill or workshop in Lahore, the instructions and exchange of information (and scientific discussions) take place in Punjabi. The highest level of engineers may have learned things in English, but in the production processes, it has to be translated in the local language.

Therefore, in actuality, the medium of exchange of information in production processes is similar to other countries: using mother languages as the medium of instruction, information and communication. Alienation from his/her own language impairs mental and cultural development, which in turn negatively affects economic productivity. Therefore it should be realised that, first, mass literacy cannot be attained without educating children in their mother tongues and, second, high literacy will be useless even if it is otherwise achieved.

In addition, the quality of education also depends upon the curriculum being taught. In Pakistan, pressurised by conservative and orthodox lobbies, the curriculums have become obscure and deluding. Instead of being a source of enlightenment -- the main purpose of education -- the curriculum are breeding negativism, superstitions and curbs creative tendencies.

Therefore, if the education as a major component of human capital development has to be taken seriously, it should be realised that quantitative measures of education are misleading and education, by itself, cannot trigger industrialisation or economic development; that mass literacy cannot be achieved without using native languages as the medium of instruction. And, equally important, the curriculum should be geared towards enlightenment and scientific knowledge.