EDITORIAL: The dreary state of the education sector in Pakistan has long been a topic of much debate and anguish, with the latest headlines emanating from this area continuing to cause serious concern.
The Pakistan Institute of Education’s report on the performance of the education sector, released on January 22, has disclosed some highly vexing details, ranging from a lack of funds for the sector, educational institutions missing basic facilities, a poor student-teacher ratio, a less-than-ideal quality of education imparted, and most worryingly a huge number of out-of-school children, currently clocking in at a distressing 26 million.
The bleak picture painted by the Pakistan Education Statistics 2021-22 report just goes to show the low priority that has been accorded to this vital area by successive federal and provincial governments, with the poor enrolment levels pointing to the seriousness of the education crisis. It should be noted that out-of-school children numbered 25 million in 2015. Nine years down the line, while the percentage of out-of-school children may have come down, it is still hovering at a shocking 39 percent.
The current level of education budgets at the federal and provincial levels have clearly not been enough to ensure increased enrolment or to address the factors that have contributed to this state of affairs.
When such rudimentary amenities like access to potable water, the presence of a boundary wall, electricity and toilets are missing from school premises, it will be a tall order indeed to encourage parents to send their children to school.
It is also pertinent to note the regional disparities at display here with Balochistan faring significantly worse compared to other parts of the country – a measly 15 percent of its schools have electricity connections, only 23 percent have access to drinking water and a mere 33 percent have toilets.
In addition, one should also consider the impact that security concerns and the law and order situation can have on enrolment levels, dropout rates and school closures. Various parts of the country have been wracked by militancy and security threats in the past, with education institutions also having been among the targets of nefarious elements.
An example of security threats leading to closure of education institutions was seen recently when three Islamabad-based universities were closed for an indefinite period owing to security concerns. This was soon followed by the closure of some other private-sector schools in the city for the same reason. If this is the state of affairs in the federal capital, one can only imagine the situation in areas that have long been wracked by militancy and law and order fears.
Pakistan cannot afford to procrastinate over the persistent challenges hindering its education sector. As President Arif Alvi pointed out on World Education Day recently, what is now needed is an investment in out-of-the-box solutions to resolve the crisis. Strategic planning at both the federal and provincial levels as well as increased budgetary allocations will be imperative if we want to ensure decent infrastructure standards for existing schools.
In addition, there is also a need to increase focus on building more schools, especially in remote areas, as well as investing in transportation infrastructure to make education accessible to children in underserved regions.
Enrolment levels could also be increased by establishing scholarship programmes to assist economically disadvantaged students. Long-standing issues ranging from poverty, as well as cultural barriers and security concerns must be addressed as well.
The transformative power of education to serve as a catalyst for societal progress, economic development and individual empowerment is undeniable. Given this, the state must now finally accord priority status to this sector and make the investments required for its uplift.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
Comments
Comments are closed.