Education is the backbone of any nation, playing a vital role in its growth, development, and prosperity. It empowers individuals with knowledge, skills, and critical thinking, enabling them to contribute positively to society. Education fosters innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship, driving economic progress and competitiveness.
Moreover, it helps build a well-informed, engaged, and responsible citizenry, capable of participating in the democratic process and making informed decisions while a country’s future depends on its ability to invest in education since it tackles critical issues like social injustice, poverty, and inequality. In addition to improving health outcomes, education lowers crime rates and fosters social mobility. In addition, it helps people adjust to a world that is changing all the time, which strengthens their resilience and improves their ability to deal with the challenges of the twenty-first century. To put it briefly, education is a major factor in national development and its significance cannot be emphasised. By placing a high priority on education, countries can help their people reach their full potential and create a more promising future.
Pakistan’s educational system is in dire need of attention since its residents must overcome several obstacles to receive a high-quality education. Pakistan continues to fall behind in several important areas, such as enrollment ratios, literacy rates, and educational results, even with attempts to strengthen the educational system.
With almost 40% of individuals unable to read or write, Pakistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world, according to UNESCO. Furthermore, there is a dearth of trained teachers, limited financing, and poor infrastructure in the nation’s educational system. Due to this subpar educational system, millions of Pakistani children and youth are not able to realize their full potential, which has far-reaching effects. Lack of access to high-quality education impedes social mobility, restricts economic progress, and prolongs cycles of poverty. In addition, social problems like extremism and intolerance have been exacerbated by the educational system’s inability to foster critical thinking, creativity, and tolerance. Together, the government, civil society, and foreign allies must prioritize education, boost financing, and enact policies that support inclusive, egalitarian, and high-quality education for all Pakistani residents to overcome these obstacles.
Numerous issues prevent Pakistan’s educational system from offering its population high-quality education. Lack of money is one of the main problems, leading to substandard infrastructure, little resources, and underpaid instructors. In addition, the industry suffers from inefficiency, corruption, and a lack of accountability, all of which contribute to inefficiencies and injustices. Moreover, instructional strategies are usually ineffectual and the curriculum is typically out of date, failing to promote critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. As a result, there is now a big disconnect between what the educational system produces and what the demands of the contemporary workforce are.
The inequality of access to education, which places major obstacles in the way of marginalised people and rural areas, is another serious issue. Girls’ education is especially neglected; millions of girls are prevented from attending school because of access issues, poverty, and cultural standards. Furthermore, because so many skilled professionals and instructors leave the country in quest of better opportunities, the industry is also impacted by brain drain. The end effect is a workforce with low levels of education that is unable to compete in the global economy and a society devoid of the information and abilities required for prosperity and sustainable development. Reforming education must take a thorough and inclusive approach to address these issues.
Pakistan’s education system is split into two main categories: public and private. Superior infrastructure, seasoned educators, and an emphasis on academic achievement are characteristics of the private sector that lead to improved educational results. On the other hand, the public school system suffers from insufficient funding, inadequately qualified educators, and a lack of accountability, which results in inferior instruction. The results of the matriculation and intermediate exams show this discrepancy, with private institutions often outperforming public ones where the curriculum and methods of instruction are where the two sectors diverge most. Private educational institutions frequently embrace contemporary and dynamic methods, integrating technology and extracurricular pursuits, whereas public schools adhere to a conventional, rote-based curriculum.
Furthermore, while Urdu and other regional languages are frequently given priority in public schools, English language competency is highly valued in private institutions. Students’ employability and competitiveness are impacted by this methodical difference, with graduates of private schools often enjoying a competitive advantage in the labor market. Private education has benefits, but because of its high costs and restricted availability, a large percentage of the population cannot afford it. On the other hand, public education is the sole choice open to many as it is broadly accessible and free. However, the low caliber of instruction provided in public schools restricts social mobility and economic prospects, thereby sustaining the poverty cycle. To solve this problem, the government must make investments in raising public education standards and putting policies in place that close the gap between the two sectors, guaranteeing everyone fair access to high-quality education.
Current education system
One of the country’s main advantages is its youthful population more than 60% of people are under 25 which creates a sizable workforce and growth potential. In addition, rising enrollment rates and increased private sector investment indicate that the value of education is being recognized more and more.
Moreover, Pakistan offers a distinctive fusion of contemporary and traditional education due to its rich cultural legacy and longstanding Islamic educational system. On the other hand, shortcomings include a lack of financing, which leads to subpar facilities, underpaid instructors, and insufficient supplies. In addition, the industry suffers from a lack of accountability, poor management, and corruption, all of which contribute to inefficiencies and injustices. Growth prospects encompass the escalating need for proficient labor, the possibility of forming public-private collaborations, and the expanding popularity of virtual and remote education. Threats, however, include the continued unrest in the political system, worries about safety, and the exodus of skilled professionals and educators.
Furthermore, the industry has a difficult time meeting the demands of underserved groups, such as women and girls, and making sure that everyone has access to high-quality education. Pakistan can achieve sustained growth and development and realise the full potential of its education system by tackling its deficiencies and capitalizing on its possibilities.
The structural problems impeding growth must be addressed if Pakistan’s education system is to improve. First and foremost, the government needs to give education top priority and allot enough funds to fix infrastructural gaps, give instructors a livable salary, and offer necessary materials. Reforms should also prioritize decentralising decision-making, boosting community engagement, and advancing accountability and transparency. Instead of placing as much emphasis on rote memorisation, the curriculum should be altered to emphasize critical thinking, creativity, and skill development.
In addition, the establishment of teacher training programmes should focus on improving subject matter competence and pedagogical abilities. The government should put policies in place that specifically target marginalized populations, such as women and girls, to guarantee inclusive and equal access to high-quality education. This covers programmes like infrastructure development in underprivileged communities, scholarships, and conditional cash transfers. Public-private collaborations should also be promoted to pool resources and knowledge.
To boost accessibility and enhance learning results, technology use such as online and remote learning platforms should be encouraged. To ensure a coordinated and ongoing effort to enhance the sector, a national education framework should be created. This would give a united vision and guiding principles for education reform. Pakistan can unleash the potential of its people and revolutionise the education system by putting these suggestions into practice.
The Author is MD IRP/ Faculty Department of H&SS, Bahria University Karachi