Issues with Pakistan’s Education System (Part I)

Introduction

Education plays a vital role in the socio-economic outlook of a society to have its due place in a nations’ build-out. Fragile education system also hampers the delivery of quality education to pupils. But, unfortunately, circulating issues of education system have not only imparted its false prints on the society, but also has the tendency of increasing its horizon day-by-day. Pakistan, somehow, is facing severe issues in the field of modern education. First and foremost, the education department is confronted with severe complications within the department, at ministerial level, and importantly at national level. Then, the causes are numerous for the concerning educational issues, and ultimately posters severe impacts – which are necessary to mitigate. Ironically, the current education system portrays a gloomy picture, vivid steps such as, formulation of rational policies, ensuring policy implementation, essence of the curriculum, maximizing budgetary allocations, and improving students and teachers grooming, can help the country achieve its goals. Therefore, the crisis cannot be mitigated overnight, but effective planning and proper policies would surely help achieve colossal results. This article, scholarly, through light on the issues of education system, its causes and impacts, and practical measures to mitigate.

Current Situation of Education in Pakistan

          Currently, the crisis education system cry-out-for efficient policies to substantially gain its redeem status. It, for instant, is obvious from the UNDP report that “Pakistan has the world’s second highest number of out-of-school children (OOSC) with an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 years”, which ultimately represents 44 percent of the total population in this age group. However, the surging issues and its jolts on the education system at departmental and governmental level are obvious factors for causing injury. Primarily, the current debacle facing the country has almost devastated the ailing system, which includes: policies implementation; curriculum for all; budget allocation; and lack of schools at the tertiary level. Additionally, teachers are highly un-trained to deal with the modern-day education curriculum. Further, fewer resources at school level, adequate grooming facilities, and the lethargic learning environment, are further adding to the devastated education system. Therefore, the country's education system currently is in the shamble and fragile state.

“Pakistan was ranked 154 among 189 countries on United Nations – Human Development Index (HDI)”

(United Nations Human Development Index Report - 2020)

Concerning issues with Pakistan’s education system?

          Concerning issues of the education system have impeded development of the masses to an alarming rate. Pakistan, in some ways, has portrayed a negative image of education at multiple sides, especially, at the learners’ level in educational institutes. Surprisingly, the defective examination system and lack of quality teachers have become a nightmare for the system. Similarly, the poorer community is emphasized less on education, as a result, high scale dropout rate was observed among the masses. Further, directionless education has been promoted in institutions, which socially decelerated the progress of Pakistani nation. Therefore, causes of educational issues, which crippled students’ growth, have added to the system at an alarming rate.

          In addition to it, concerning issues of the education system at a broader level actively besieged the improvement of the system. Pakistan, nonetheless, is standing at the brink of serious educational deformities, while it needs to revamp its policies at national level. Broader concerning issues, first and foremost, Pakistan have scarcely allocated its education budgets since independence for enhancing quality and developing infrastructure. Similarly, concerned ministry is always becoming the victim of negligence and almost no policies have been effectively implemented. Moreover, there is a weak system of accountability, in each case, which has encouraged many criminal elements to misappropriate funds, use of authority illegally, and giving unnecessary favors in allocations of funds and decision making. Therefore, the concerning issues at doorsteps further contributing to hamper education system.

Causes:

          Emerging factors and the prevailing challenges have sarcastically related to the decaying education system. Pakistan, for instance, is developing its citizens on the basis of training and education on social, political, economic, and ideological aspects, but the delivery is not up-to-the-mark to achieve these goals, positively. Similarly, diverse systems of education are simultaneously working in the country. The curriculum is also not uniformed, and it has given birth to different schools of thoughts, which include: the public education, Deeni Madaris, and the few private elite institutions. Additionally, the basic aim of examinations in schools and universities is to evaluate the performance of students. The examination system is not only obsolete, but it also does not have the quality to evaluate performance of learners properly, which instead – merely test the memory of students. Further, the lack of discipline and care of students in an erroneous manner has led to high scale dropouts. This trend is mainly due to imparting punishment strategies in schools, unattractive school environment, and partly due to weak parenting on the part of parents. Thus, these causes – concerned with students and the system – are main conferrer in a fragile state of the education system.

          Similarly, contributing factors at the national level have further susceptible the system of already fragile education. Education, as a matter of fact, is further deteriorated by the eccentric policies at governmental level. Additionally, the role of supervision is to identify the weaknesses of teachers and showing a harsh treatment in the form of transfers to other schools or even termination of service. Moreover, resources are also an essential part of grooming in Pakistan, education resources such as books, libraries, sports and physical training facilities, toilet facilities, and drinking water, are essential for students’ grooming and the smooth functioning of institutes. Last but not the least, the low budgetary allocations have also crippled the system. Therefore, these causes practically impose its effects on the Pakistan’s education system.   PART II of this Article