Several coalition governments have ruled the relatively underprivileged and resource-laden province of Balochistan with a manifesto to prioritize and improve its standard of education. These governments either ended prematurely or completed their tenure leaving this most important sector in dire straits. Teachers’ associations or some politicians loyal to them often obstructed the governments’ initiatives to reform education. Today, the incumbent government led by CM Sarfaraz Bugti is determined to embark on a mission aimed at changing the antiquated education system. His maiden action of dismissing some 2000 absent teachers from their duties will have a greater impact on those teachers reluctant to attend school and do their job.
The provincial government needs to continue on this path and follow-up with more steps to improve the education system. Special teams under the leadership of the district administrators should be constituted to monitor the educational institutions within their jurisdiction in order to discourage the habitual practice of negligence and absenteeism. Moreover, the government also needs to ensure availability of basic facilities including building infrastructure, furniture, books and stationery, potable water, teachers’ training and transport for students.
Guldar Ali Khan Wazir
Zhob