Education in Pakistan
“When right of education is denounced”
Education is a universal, fundamental human right, recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed in international human rights conventions. In this era of technology, advancement and globalization, education is the key to success and peace. Education is considered as the cheapest defense of a nation. But the worst condition of education in Pakistan reflects the fact that it is unable to defend its own sector. Though 62 years have passed and 23 policies and action plans have been introduced yet the educational sector is waiting for an effective educational reforms. With respect to Human Development Index, Pakistan has been placed by UNDP at 136th position, lower than some of its regional neighbors like Sri Lanka, Maldives, India and Myanmar mainly due to its low literacy rate and low primary level enrolment. In different reports the Ministry of Education claimed that literacy in Pakistan is over 50%, but open sources disagree with it and they say that it is merely 35%. Ratio of budget indicates the level of importance given by a nation to the education. Historically, Pakistan has been spending less on education, as compared to other countries in the region. Pakistan spends less than 2% of its GDP on education which is less than Iran, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives the neighboring countries of Pakistan, the world standard stands at 5% of the GDP. With such non serious attitude towards Education, there remains a dearth of well educated and skillful individuals. Among the SAARC Nations, Pakistan is at the sixth and at the 159th position among the 174 World countries.
Pakistan’s Constitution, framed in 1973, declared the country’s commitment to providing education for all. According to Article 37, “the State shall:-
Remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within the minimum possible period.
Make technical and professional education generally available and
Education is a universal, fundamental human right, recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed in international human rights conventions. In this era of technology, advancement and globalization, education is the key to success and peace. Education is considered as the cheapest defense of a nation. But the worst condition of education in Pakistan reflects the fact that it is unable to defend its own sector. Though 62 years have passed and 23 policies and action plans have been introduced yet the educational sector is waiting for an effective educational reforms. With respect to Human Development Index, Pakistan has been placed by UNDP at 136th position, lower than some of its regional neighbors like Sri Lanka, Maldives, India and Myanmar mainly due to its low literacy rate and low primary level enrolment. In different reports the Ministry of Education claimed that literacy in Pakistan is over 50%, but open sources disagree with it and they say that it is merely 35%. Ratio of budget indicates the level of importance given by a nation to the education. Historically, Pakistan has been spending less on education, as compared to other countries in the region. Pakistan spends less than 2% of its GDP on education which is less than Iran, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Maldives the neighboring countries of Pakistan, the world standard stands at 5% of the GDP. With such non serious attitude towards Education, there remains a dearth of well educated and skillful individuals. Among the SAARC Nations, Pakistan is at the sixth and at the 159th position among the 174 World countries.
Pakistan’s Constitution, framed in 1973, declared the country’s commitment to providing education for all. According to Article 37, “the State shall:-
Remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within the minimum possible period.
Make technical and professional education generally available and