Report on education of children highlights urgent need for action

Islamabad: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) Pakistan, in partnership with the School Education and Literacy Department (SELD), unveiled a pivotal report at a provincial conference in Karachi. The report sheds light on the profound effects of COVID-19 and climate-related disasters on the education landscape of Sindh province in Pakistan.

Commissioned by the IRC, the report titled "Climate Impacts on the Education of Children in Sindh" offers a comprehensive assessment of the devastating consequences of climate-induced disasters and pandemic-related disruptions on the learning outcomes of school-going children in flood-affected districts of Sindh.

Dr. Shireen Mustafa, Secretary SELD, in her remarks emphasized on the disproportionate impact of climate-related challenges on marginalized populations and the inadequacies within educational infrastructure. She stressed the urgent need for comprehensive policies and resilient strategies to safeguard the right to education, especially in the context of climate impacts.

Shabnam Baloch, Country Director IRC, in her opening remarks emphasized the need to reimagine our approach to education in the face of climate-related challenges. She stressed the necessity for greater investments in resilient infrastructure, inclusive policies, and innovative strategies to ensure no child is left behind.

She further said that IRC recognized that during disasters, while life-saving measures are prioritized due to limited resources, education often gets neglected. To address this, the IRC uniquely included education in their disaster response assessments, making a significant, self-funded effort to prioritize education alongside life-saving actions.

Key findings presented by Rahat Rizwan, Senior Education Coordinator IRC, revealed that children in affected areas have lost over a year of education due to pandemic-related closures, with more than 2 million students experiencing disruptions from the 2022 floods. The report's recommendations underscore urgent action, calling for investments in resilient infrastructure, innovative technological solutions, and alternative strategies to ensure uninterrupted learning during crises. Moreover, the report highlights the concerning 'gender digital divide', with discrepancies in access to digital educational content between girls and boys.

A key moment of the provincial seminar was a lively panel discussion on “Inclusion, for Every Child amidst Climate Impact in Pakistan,” moderated by Lubna Javaid, Deputy Director Programs at IRC. The panel featured Abul Kabir Kazi (Managing Director SEF), Dr. Fouzia Khan (Chief Curriculum Wing), Naveed Ahmed Shaikh (PM SDG Unit), Muhammad Akram (Education Officer UNICEF), and Huma Imran Khan (Education Expert). The panellists deliberated upon safeguarding the right to education and refining policy frameworks to accelerate progress against sustainable development goals related to education.

The discussion emphasized the undeniable effects of disasters and climate change on both children and caregivers, noting Pakistan's high vulnerability ranking according to the Children's Climate Risk Index. It was highlighted that the role of disaster risk reduction bodies was underscored, alongside the alternatives arising from adversity, such as the shift towards distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the launch of digital app to support primary education and the challenges and solutions related to digital learning were key points of discussion.