Zubair Qureshi
Experts from diverse fields of life at a panel discussion emphasized major role of stakeholders especially parliamentarians, educationists and parents for moving forward with education agenda to resolve host of critical issues and limitations related with Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
The policy discussion was organized by the Pakistan Coalition for Education as part of its 12th Annual Convention in Islamabad with a theme “Re-thinking education in the times of Covid-19”.
Sharmila Faruqui, former Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister, Deputy Focal Person Policy Planning and Implementation Unit Balochistan Abdul Khaliq, and National Coordinator of PCE, Zehra Arshad, were the main participants of the discussion.
They discussed the grave situation created the country and its negative impacts especially on the education sector.
The discussion revolved around the urgent need for all stakeholders, especially the parliamentarians to come together and address the areas where the existing public education system, and more recently, the digital education is falling short in accommodating the needs of the marginalized communities.
Sharmila Faruqui, former Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister, was of the view that the youth does not have proper accessibility to technology such as smartphones, laptops, and the Covid-19 has highlighted this inequality.
According to her, only 32 per cent of students across the country reported that learning material was provided by their schools during the lockdowns.
