Contrary to the neighbouring countries, Pakistan is far away to meet its international obligations in achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for education by 2015. Less than 1.5 percent of the GDP goes to public schools, which is less than the subsidy given to state corporations like PIA, Pakistan Steel and Pepco.
This was revealed in a report "Education Emergency Pakistan" published by March for Education, a project of the Pakistan Education Task Force, released here on Wednesday. Pakistan faces an 'education emergency' with millions of children out of school, crumbling infrastructure and constantly shrinking education budgets. However, according to the report the situation can be averted in a matter of years if there is political will for change.
According to the report, seven million children are not in primary schools while three million will not see the inside of a classroom. Pakistan is second in the global ranking of out-of-school children. It says that at the current rate Punjab will provide all children with their constitutional right to education by 2041, Sindh by 2049, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by 2064 while Balochistan will reach the goal by 2100.
The report points out that under the Eighteenth Amendment the state is constitutionally mandated to provide free and compulsory education to children between five and 16 years. However, the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for education are now out of reach for Pakistan, while India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are on track to meet MDG.
According to the report Bangladesh has doubled access to primary schooling, while in India it is ten times the rate seen in Pakistan over the past 20 years. The economic impact of the crisis is as expensive as a flood every year. It points out that education budgets are falling in the country; however, 26 countries poorer than Pakistan manage to send more children for primary schooling.
In an indication of the growth of private education in Pakistan, the report says that even in rural areas over a quarter of children attend private schools while the majority of urban children are believed to attend low-cost private institutions. It further points out that 35 percent of schools in Sindh have no building or are in a dangerous condition. Nation-wide over 21,000 schools have no building while only 39 percent have electricity. Across Pakistan merely 36 percent of public schools are said to be in "satisfactory" condition.
Despite the considerable challenges facing Pakistan's education sector, change is possible and that we may be able to see results within two years by sticking to "determined education reform." According to the Emergency Pakistan, Pakistan will require Rs 100 billion extra every year to meet its long-term educational goals. The year 2011 as declared the "year of education" by the Prime Minister should be used to turn around the situation and head off the "impending disaster."
Free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 16 is no longer a privilege but a fundamental right, assured by the 18th Amendment to the Constitution," said Shahnaz Wazir Ali, co-chair Pakistan Education Task Force while addressing on this occasion.
"Lack of education will keep future generations poor," the co-chair said. "For every additional year of education provided to Pakistan's future workforce, we can expect to see a substantial boost to the country's GDP. "Girls have even fewer educational opportunities despite the fact that educated mothers are likely to have fewer, healthier and better educated children. That is why female education is recognised as the most profitable investment any country can make in its future."
According to the Task Force, there is hope however. Mehnaz Aziz, a Task Force member, points out that many countries have transformed their education systems in a generation. Task Force member Fareeha Zafar said on the occasion that political will is needed to make hard choices to start and then sustain a programme of education reform. We need determined leaders at all levels in governments, in our communities and in schools who are prepared to take the education emergency seriously and who have the resolve to act now to end it," she said.