Repairing the education sector

Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood has expressed that the PTI-led government is taking effective steps to bring state-owned educational institutions at par with private schools. Almost all governments have vowed to bring much-needed change to the country’s public educational institutions. But not a single government has delivered on its promises. More than 20 million children, about 10 percent of Pakistan’s population, are out of school. There is another important issue for the minister to consider. In our country, a majority of the Pakistani population lives below the poverty line. These families send their children to madressahs where the quality of education is unsatisfactory. The courses that are taught in madressahs do not provide any career opportunities to madressah students. As a result, these students end up becoming part of the unskilled labour force. In addition, the state of public schools and colleges is deplorable. In remote areas, students sit on mats under the open sky in the scorching heat and attend classes. The education minister needs to work from the lowest level to bring a visible change in the education sector. It is said that actions speak louder than words. The authorities concerned need to take adequate measures to improve the country’s education sector.

Lt Col (r) M Afzal Sadiq

Attock