“Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself.” —John Dewey.
Deep down, every good teacher knows the impact and importance of education. It isn’t just about learning reading, writing and arithmetic at school. Instead, formal education is about gaining the knowledge and the skills needed to become a better person and create a better society to live in. A proper education sets people up to grow personally, professionally, and socially. It can awaken joy, curiosity and a deep desire to solve problems and help others. Plus, teaching a student can inspire them to pursue leadership roles and positively impact those around them. One of the other many benefits of education is that it can broaden a student’s horizons, helping them understand more about other cultures and corners of the world beyond the school door.
Unfortunately today Pakistan today is in the throes of a massive crisis of education. About 26 million children are out of school, the state education system isin dire straits and the private education system is so expensive that it is now beyond the reach of the common man. For the first time in our turbulent history the Prime Minister of Pakistan has declared a National Education Emergency on 8th May 2024.
The Federal Ministry of Education has been tasked with revamping planning, curriculum, financing and implementation of the new policies to breathe life into the education system. The Govt. of the day is faced with a monumental task mainly because of the phenomenal increase in population reaching almost 7 million new babies born every year who enter the world with the hope that the state will provide the necessary education facilities for them to grow up to be responsible citizens of the country equipped with the skills to earn a living.
The national education budget for the year 2024-25 has been increased to 1.9 % from 1.5 % of last year this is a very happy move but is it sufficient to combat the ugly state of our education system?And the Govt. is now committed to raise the GDP allocations to 4% by the year 2029 which is not too far in the future.
Our education system relies heavily on rote learning, and students who are good at memorization easily obtain good marks in high school board exams at the matric and intermediate levels. However most fail to recall the concepts learned in the previous classes. Both parents and teachers pay no attention to critical thinking skills. Fortunately the Prime Minister has now has announced an “Education Emergency” across Pakistan to enroll approximately 26 million children who are currently out of school, aiming to transform Pakistan into one of the most educated countries in the world. Just announcements are not enough the need of the hour is to address the woeful lack of good schools and colleges in the country which is the main and foremost educational problem in Pakistan.
With more than 40% of the people living below the poverty line poverty too is a serious education problem. People living hand to mouth simply do not have the financial means to invest in education for their offspring. The govt. has to find ways and means to make education affordable for every citizen. Education emergency should focus on the availability of free education for all on the pattern of many welfare states in the world. Article 25A of the 1973 constitution clearly states “Right To Education: the state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law” This clause was added to the basic rights section of the constitution in 2010. In 2014 that is after 14 years the PM is declaring an emergency to do what has been promised as a basic right for all children of the country.
This attitude has been called “criminal negligence” by the Prime Minister himself. Emergency isa serious and dangerous situation and it is definitely more than serious in the country and all previous governments during the past 76 years are responsible for his criminal neglect of education in the country.
According to the accepted and prevalent standards Govt. should spend at least four percent of the GDP on education but ironically Pakistan Govt. does not spend more than 1.7% on education.
If any education emergency is meant to bring about a change it is imperative that the expenditure on education must be doubled immediately and the govt. should make every effort to make education free for all at least up to high school levels.Every education policy formulated since 1947 has aspired to provide free education but so far not a single policy has been able to deliver the promised aspirations laid down in education policies or as promised by the constitution. The education emergency has been announced with the usual fanfare but nothing has been said about the methods to be adopted for addressing the situation or what policy changes will be implemented, when the country will increase the investments in education and when the nation will see some serious and practical steps for any meaningful change in the education sector of the country. How will the education emergency become reality? Who will be monitoring the implementation of a new policy and take us towards access to quality and free education for all children. One can only hope and pray that this announcement of the education emergency is not just a political gimmick but will be implemented in latter and spirit.
This country is in immediate need of more and better schools, teachers and teaching aids. Teaching skills have to be improved and the content knowledge of teachers enhanced. Above all we need the political will and immediate attention of the political elite to combat the dangers of a collapsing education system.
—The writer is Professor of History, based in Islamabad.
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