smartcybers786@gmail.com 
#Bridging #learning #divide #Political #Economy
Pakistan is facing a tough challenge. According to UNICEF, 22.8 million children aged 5-16, an alarming 44 percent of this age group, are currently out of school. Despite the constitutional guarantee under Article 25-A, which promises free and compulsory education, systemic challenges continue to deprive millions of people of access to learning. This is especially true of girls and children in rural areas. The barriers are complex, rooted in social constraints and inadequate infrastructure. The gender disparity is particularly troubling, Human Rights Watch reports, with only 13 percent of girls progressing by ninth grade. In regions like Jammu and Kashmir, where 30 percent of schools do not have drinking water supply and nearly half do not have functioning toilets for girls, the situation is dire. These gaps discourage attendance and perpetuate cycles of poverty and limited opportunities for disadvantaged communities.
While national education policy outlines ambitious goals, the ground reality often falls short due to systemic failures. Provincial initiatives, such as Punjab’s education monitoring system and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s curriculum standardization, have shown potential, but lack of consistent implementation undermines their effectiveness. Public expenditure on education, at about 2 percent of GDP, is far below the 4-6 percent recommended by UNESCO. This chronic underfunding hinders development, leaving public schools ill-equipped to provide quality education. According to education policy expert Dr. Ayesha Khalid, “Well-designed policies mean little without accountability and sustained commitment from all stakeholders.”
In this challenging scenario, Public Private Partnership has emerged as a promising solution. Programs such as the Punjab Education Foundation and the Sindh Education Foundation have successfully increased access to education by subsidizing private schools to provide free education to disadvantaged communities. This partnership has reached thousands of students in areas where government schools are either absent or dysfunctional. However, according to the World Bank, these partnerships face challenges due to the different nature of inputs, processes and outputs. Reliance on multiple contracts for management, support, operations, and infrastructure often means that the dollars spent may not always provide maximum benefits for students.
Non-Government Institutions play an important role in bridging the education gap. Human Concern International, a Canada-based humanitarian organization, is one such contributor in Pakistan. In 2023, the organization supported more than 5,963 disadvantaged beneficiaries, including Afghan refugees, rural students, girls and children with disabilities, with the aim of increasing access, quality and sustainability of education.
Key initiatives include Hope Village in Akora Khattak, serving 690 Afghan refugee boys and partnering with the READ Foundation in Bhimbar. To reduce gender disparity, HCI is building a school in Umarkot to educate 600 girls from low-income families and empower the community.
Rural students and around 200 deaf children are benefiting from the collaboration with DeafReach in Hyderabad and Sukkur.
Education is the foundation for empowering future generations to break free from poverty and build better lives. Whether it’s a young girl gaining access to an education or a migrant boy rebuilding his future, the transformative power of learning is clear.
In November, Muhammad Amin, a deaf student from Hyderabad, achieved an extraordinary milestone by securing second position in the Hyderabad Board Matriculation Examinations against 2,200 candidates from mainstream schools in nine districts. Kainat Sadat, who is deaf, has been hired by a leading bank and is doing well. Their achievements reflect findings from the Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education that deaf students, when provided with quality education and resources, can perform academically on par with their peers. Yet, Muhammad and Kainat’s access to education is an exception in Pakistan as countless deaf children are still denied similar opportunities.
Iftikhar Ahmed, Global Director of Programs at Human Concern International, says, “Education is the most powerful weapon to combat poverty. The key focus should be on inclusive education and livelihood initiatives that empower the most vulnerable, including girls. Refugees and Persons with Disabilities.” The transformative impact of these initiatives is greater than numbers. Recognizing the importance of quality teaching, HCI has trained over 600 teachers through its continuous professional development programs, enhancing learning in 30 schools. These programs emphasize the importance of investing in teachers, he says.
Education expert Saima Gul says that access to essential facilities like electricity and clean water is essential in schools. Technology and hands-on labs such as computer labs and science labs remain a major challenge in schools serving underserved areas, she says. These resources are critical to providing students with learning experiences that prepare them for real-world opportunities. Without these basic tools, schools struggle to provide a holistic learning experience, putting students at a disadvantage in an increasingly digital and technology-driven world.
Education is the foundation for empowering future generations to break free from poverty and build better lives. Whether it’s a girl gaining access to education or a migrant boy rebuilding his future, the transformative power of learning is clear.
Student enrollment in Pakistan has seen a positive growth in recent years, reflecting efforts to increase access to education and address systemic gaps. The public sector now serves about 28.49 million students, accounting for 56 percent of the total enrollment. The private sector educates about 22.70 million students or 44 percent. Despite gains, challenges remain in achieving equitable and quality education for all. Issues such as inadequate infrastructure, urban-rural disparity and resource constraints are major constraints. With sustained investment and strategic policy focus, Pakistan can build on these developments to create a more inclusive and effective education system, enabling future generations to thrive.
The combined efforts of non-governmental organizations and public-private partnerships are filling critical gaps in Pakistan’s education system, offering a lifeline to marginalized communities and paving the way for a more equitable education system. As one expert said, “Education is not just a right but a lifeline.” With sustained commitment and innovative solutions, Pakistan can turn its education crisis into an opportunity for national development.
The writer is a staff reporter at The News. He tweets @Jawwadrizvi.
