State of Education in Pakistan

State of Education in Pakistan
By Syed Aman- Executive Director- ActionPakistan

Pakistan is one of only 12 world countries that spends less than 2% of its GNP on education.The World Bank reports that the average Pakistani boy receives only five years of schooling; the average girl just 2.5 years. The U.S. Agency for International Development claims that only two thirds of Pakistani children aged 5-9 are ever enrolled in school and only one-third will complete the fifth grade. Pakistan’s adult literacy rate is about 40% and is much lower among females.The U.N. Development Programme’s 2004 Human Development Report assigns Pakistan the lowest “education index” of any country outside Africa. (See World Bank Group, “Pakistan Country Report, September 2004; USAID Grant Agreement No. 391-004-01; UNDP Human Development Report 2004 at [http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2004/].

Pakistan’s Future
Pakistan’s future as a prosperous and competitive nation would depend on how much investment the nation is going to commit towards educational reforms.  There are two major issues that are critical in formulating Pakistan’s educational plan. 1) National Policy commitment and appropriate allocation of investments 2) Strong regional control of education and other core issues identified in this forum as part of a regional planning district.  Lets look at some specifics.

Role of the National Government in Education
-National Government must develop appropriate standards for public schools. This includes minimum acceptable size of the classrooms, teacher/student ratio, technology labs, minimum acceptable physical fitness facilities, and cafeteria standards. Recommended curriculum (academic & technology) for elementary, secondary, and intermediate schools must be standardized for all public schools across the country.
-Minimum acceptable standards for post secondary education in all specialty areas.
-Financial resources must also be planned for all public schools across the country
-Standards for teacher certification must also be developed at the national level
-Federal Education Department must also monitor educational programs by means of Federal Education Auditors for each State.
-We recommend a federal minister of education to implement these provisions with coordination with each state and regions.

Role of the the States or Provinces in Education
State Chief Minister must appoint a State Education coordinator to implement federal policies. Federally approved regional planning Districts as discussed in this forum are the appropriate jurisdictions for carrying out federally mandated standards. The regional planning districts will also be authorized to plan, develop, and appropriate school budgets. All upgrading projects or new construction for schools must also be done at the regional level with support from the Federal and State offices. Each Regional Planning District will have an education coordinator who will report to the State and federal Authorities.

Regulating Private Schools
All private schools must follow the minimum federal standards for education. Private schools must also provide comprehensive details on their programs and facilities. All substandard private schools must be given sufficient time to either upgrade their programs/facilities or must be phased out.