Education System of Pakistan:
Pakistan’s education system is
comprised of over 260,903 institutions and caters to over 41,018,384 students
with the help of more than 1,535,461 teachers. The system includes 180,846
public institutions and 80,057 private institutions, with 31% of educational
institutes run by the private sector and 69% run by the public sector.
Analysis of the Education System
in Pakistan:
Pakistan has expressed its
commitment to promote education and literacy in the country through education
policies at the domestic level and by engaging in international commitments on
education. In this regard, national education policies are the visions that
suggest strategies to increase the literacy rate, capacity building, and
enhance facilities in the schools and educational institutes. MDGs and EFA
programs are global commitments of Pakistan for the promotion of literacy.
However, a review of Pakistan’s
education system suggests that there has been little change in the country’s
schools since 2010, when the 18th Amendment enshrined education as a
fundamental human right in the constitution. Problems of access, quality, infrastructure,
and inequality of opportunity remain endemic.
Problems:
The issues lead to the
comprehension of the problems that are faced in the development of the
education system and promotion of literacy. The study outlines seven major
problems such as:
1. Lack of Proper Planning: Pakistan is a signatory
to MDGs and EFA goals. However, it seems that it will not be able to achieve
these international commitments due to financial management issues and
constraints to achieve the MDGs and EFA goals.
2. Social Constraints: It is important to realize
that the problems which hinder the provision of education are not just due to
issues of management by the government, but some of them are deeply rooted in
the social and cultural orientation of the people. Overcoming the latter is
difficult and would require a change in attitude of the people, until then
universal primary education is difficult to achieve.
3. Gender Gap: Major factors that hinder enrolment
rates of girls include poverty, cultural constraints, illiteracy of parents,
and parental concerns about the safety and mobility of their daughters.
Society’s emphasis on girls’ modesty, protection, and early marriages may limit
the family’s willingness to send them to school. Enrolment of rural girls is
45% lower than that of urban girls; while for boys, the difference is only 10%,
showing that the gender gap is an important factor.
1. Cost of Education: The economic cost is higher
in private schools, but these are located in richer settlements only. The
paradox is that private schools are better but not everywhere and government
schools ensure equitable access but do not provide quality education.
2. Funds for Education: Pakistan spends only 2.4%
GDP on education. At the national level, 89% of education expenditure comprises
of current expenses such as teachers’ salaries, while only 11% comprises of
development expenditure which is not sufficient to raise the quality of
education.
3. Technical Education: Insufficient attention has
been paid to the technical and vocational education in Pakistan. The number of
technical and vocational training institutes is not sufficient and many are
deprived of infrastructure, teachers, and tools for training. The population of
a state is one of the main elements of its national power. It can become an
asset once it is skilled. Unskilled population means more jobless people in the
country, which affects the national development negatively. Therefore,
technical education needs priority handling by the government.
Solutions:
There is a need for the
implementation of national education policy and vision 2030 education goals. An
analysis of education policy suggests that at the policy level, there are
several admirable ideas, but practically there are some shortcomings also.
It may not be possible for the
government at the moment.
