Zubair Qureshi
President DrArifAlvi has directed the National Book Foundation (NBF) and other relevant public sector education-promotional organizations to take necessary steps which aim at providing the visually impaired people access to books and different sources of knowledge.
While chairing a meeting to review the role and performance of the National Book Foundation (NBF) at Aiwan-e-Sadr here on Wednesday, the president said that both the intellectual and the individual development were possible by promoting the culture of book reading in the country.
He said availability of books and knowledge in braille for the visually impaired was a welcome move. During the meeting, Managing Director NBF Dr Raja MazharHameed briefed the president about the role and performance of the Foundation.
He said the National Book Foundation was taking measures not only for the visually-impaired people but also for the persons affected by dyslexia.
The meeting was told that the Foundation was preparing books for the dyslexic children from Prep class to 8th Level and it would be available during the academic year 2024-25.
It was informed that the Foundation’s Braille Press in Karachi was providing the books to the visually impaired for Rs10 only. The books would help increase the access of the visually impaired children to education.
“The Foundation would issue books for the visually impaired children of class prep to 8th level in the entire 431 schools of Islamabad under the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).”
It was further informed in the meeting that the NBF was publishing books in braille on a range of topics and it was also ensuring the availability of books in Pakistan and abroad. About books for the children challenged by Dyslexia, the MD NBF stated these courses have been prepared in consultation with the CEO of the Institute of Dyslexia Education & Attitudinal Sciences (IDEAS), IrumMumtaz.
The president appreciated the role of the Foundation in promoting literacy and a culture of book reading in the country. It may be noted here that the books published by the National Book Foundation were being taught at Prep-XII levels in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) schools, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and the schools under the Pakistan Navy.
NBF’s books are also being taught in GilgitBaltistan and soon it will be offering them in the AJK schools.
