Pakistan’s Education System Faces Major Challenges
Report by Jane Marriott and Ahsan Iqbal
A recent report by the Planning Commission has revealed that Pakistan’s education system is struggling. The report, launched by the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, and the Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, shows that all 134 districts, excluding Islamabad, are performing poorly in terms of learning outcomes and public financing.
The report highlights that Pakistan’s map is red on performance indicators, indicating severe issues. It attributes these challenges to poor governance, substandard learning outcomes, and inadequate budget allocations. None of the districts achieved a high-performing rating, with 133 classified as medium to low performance. The average score of 53.46 points to a dysfunctional education delivery system.
Additionally, 80% of out-of-school children have never attended school, and there is a strong perception of poor quality in public sector education. The report also points out deficiencies in internet connectivity, numeracy and reading skills, and the availability of schools and related facilities.
The most underperforming districts are in Balochistan and Sindh, with 33 in Balochistan and 22 in Sindh, showing significant inter-provincial disparities. All districts in Balochistan fall into the low-performance category, reflecting severe challenges throughout the province.
Doubts Revealed
Pakistan -: Pakistan is a country in South Asia, located next to India. It has a large population and faces various challenges, including in its education system.
Education System -: An education system is how a country organizes and provides education to its people, including schools, teachers, and learning materials.
Planning Commission -: The Planning Commission is a government body in Pakistan that helps plan and develop policies for the country’s growth and improvement.
UK High Commissioner -: A UK High Commissioner is a senior diplomat from the United Kingdom who represents their country in another Commonwealth country, like Pakistan.
Jane Marriott -: Jane Marriott is the UK High Commissioner to Pakistan, meaning she is the top UK diplomat in Pakistan.
Ahsan Iqbal -: Ahsan Iqbal is a Pakistani politician who serves as the Planning Minister, responsible for planning and development in Pakistan.
Islamabad -: Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan. It is a well-planned city and often has better facilities compared to other parts of the country.
Balochistan -: Balochistan is a province in Pakistan known for its large size but small population. It faces many challenges, including in education.
Sindh -: Sindh is another province in Pakistan, home to the city of Karachi. It also faces issues in its education system.
Learning Outcomes -: Learning outcomes are the results of education, like how well students understand and can use what they have been taught.
Public Financing -: Public financing refers to the money that the government spends on services like education, health, and infrastructure.
Governance -: Governance is how a country or organization is managed and run, including making decisions and enforcing rules.
Disparities -: Disparities are differences or inequalities, like when some areas or groups have better resources or opportunities than others.
Average Score -: An average score is a number that represents the overall performance of a group, calculated by adding up all the scores and dividing by the number of scores.