Pressing Need to Boost Education
By Wasim Zaidi
Los Angeles , CA
Pakistan has one of the worst education balance sheets in the world with almost 50 million adults (80 % female), 10 million children not attending primary schools and an official literacy rate of only 38 %.
With population growing at the rate of more than 3.1 % and budgetary allocation fixed at less than 2.2 % of GNP there is very little hope to see Pakistan meeting the education goals of the 21st century.
In the 1998-2010 education policy of Pakistan a target of increasing literacy rate from 38 to 100 percent by 2015 was set. But there is still a desperate need of policy implementation. A policy which focuses on primary education, of valid and reliable system of evaluation and assessment, of use of educational technology, of modernization of curriculum, of new training for teachers, of sharing of ideas and skills, and of acknowledging the good.
Privatization in the field of education can play a vital role in the expansion of education. In spite of the absence of any financial support from the Government of Pakistan, the number of privately run institutions is increasing at a rapid pace. It is a positive development but growth of such institutions has also created some problems because there is no check on curriculum and standard of education. Today the government control over these private educational institutions is restricted to maintaining official records and data. There is neither proper supervision of these educational institutions nor appropriate guidance for promoting a standard system of education in the country.
Another unfortunate fact is that political influence has destroyed the quality of education as well as the quality of teachers. How can the youth hope for progress and advancement, peace and prosperity when the illiterate uneducated politicians are the controllers of schools, colleges, and universities?
I feel that an ‘education emergency’ should be declared in Pakistan. For any hope of betterment in the country, policymakers and political leaders need to pay serious heed to this problem.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
