Education in Pakistan: problems, challenges and their solution

Pakistan has one of the world’s lowest literacy rates, with an estimated 22.6 million children not attending school and a literacy rate of only 58 percent. The situation is significantly worse for disadvantaged youngsters, who face considerable difficulties in getting school. This article looks at the obstacles that disadvantaged children face in Pakistan, as well as the chances to improve their access to school. Pakistan confronts various obstacles in delivering excellent education to its population, especially to the disadvantaged children.

According to the World Bank, Pakistan has one of the world’s lowest literacy rates, with just around 58 percent of adults able to read and write. Furthermore, due to poverty, a lack of facilities, and social concerns, many children, particularly those from low-income households, are unable to attend school. Gender inequality is another major issue. Girls are particularly disadvantaged in Pakistan, with significantly lower enrolment rates and higher dropout rates than boys. This is due to a variety of causes, including cultural norms favouring boys’ education over girls’ education, early marriage and childbearing, and a lack of safe and secure schools for females.

As a result, females account for just 44 percent of overall primary school enrolment, resulting in a large gender gap in education.

Further to this, one of the major issues confronting Pakistan’s education industry is a lack of proper resources. According to UNICEF, the country has one of the world’s lowest education expenditures, with only 2.8 percent of GDP dedicated to education in 2022. Due to a lack of financing, poor facilities, obsolete curricula, and insufficient teacher training have resulted.

Many rural schools lack essential amenities such as safe drinking water, electricity, and sufficient sanitation. Teachers struggle to provide quality education to their pupils due to a lack of facilities and resources in schools. The lack of infrastructure and resources in schools makes it difficult for instructors to provide quality education to their students.

Despite these confines, there is potential in Pakistan to improve education. One of the most significant prospects is the expanding use of technology in education. With the proliferation of internet connectivity and mobile devices, e-learning has emerged as a feasible option for students who are unable to attend school due to financial or social constraints.

Furthermore, the usage of technology can aid to improve educational quality by offering access to current knowledge and interactive learning tools. There is also the possibility of improving teacher training and growth. Pakistan has a high proportion of inexperienced or undertrained instructors, which has an impact on the quality of education provided. Pakistan may enhance education quality and student achievement by investing in teacher training programmes and providing greater incentives for instructors.

Another possibility is the expanding number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in Pakistan to enhance education. NGOs like The Citizens Foundation and the Zindagi Trust and self-built initiatives like Street to School are trying to build high-quality schools in underserved regions, give scholarships to students from low-income families, and improve teacher training and support.

Finally, there is a chance to raise awareness and advocate for the necessity of education for all Pakistani children. Parents, teachers, and community leaders may all play a vital part in promoting education and pushing for impoverished children’s right to a decent education.

Additionally, the Pakistani government has initiated a number of attempts to strengthen the country’s education system, such as the National Education Policy 2021. This strategy attempts to address the issues encountered by the education system in Pakistan and offer a framework for enhancing the quality of education for all students, especially the impoverished.

Courtesy: Published at The Nation on April 13, 2023