Problems of the education system in Pakistan

It is enshrined in Article 25-A of the constitution of Pakistan that the state is responsible for providing education to all children aged five to sixteen. However, the dismal picture of the educational system points out the problems of the educational system in Pakistan. Recent studies have shown that Pakistan has the lowest literacy rate with almost 22.6 million children not going to school. Moreover, the literacy rate in Pakistan is only 58%. We will see how the poor quality of education in Pakistan and the prevailing problems of the education system are affecting the future of youngsters.

The problems of the education system that are becoming the cause of poor quality of education in Pakistan include poor facilities at educational institutes, outdated curricula, teachers with inadequate training, Low budgetary allocations, and political barriers. Moreover poverty, lack of basic facilities, low income, social concerns, and gender inequality are added fuel to the fire. Therefore the enrollment rate has decreased over the years in Pakistan. According to UNICEF Pakistan is one of the countries with the lowest education expenditure which spends only 2.8 percent of GDP on education. Due to this Pakistan's educational system is becoming vulnerable to various threats. 

Among many of the causes of the poor education system in Pakistan, is a Lack of uniformity like there is no one educational system running in Pakistan. Different systems are running simultaneously which eventually leads to disparities among students when they come out of school.

Pakistan's directionless and weak educational system is also a crucial factor that plays a role in the poor education system in Pakistan which makes it unable to work on social and political grounds.

The curriculum of Pakistan doesn't meet the demands of current times which eventually degrades the quality of the education. Such education curriculum and education itself are of no use. 

Teaching is a hectic task but due to a lack of training, untrained teachers are usually hired based on their personal references which is a major drawback for our student’s future. 

Due to the lack of necessities of life, people are sending their children to work to earn instead of school which is leading to alarming dropouts from schools. 

Schools don’t have proper facilities like books, libraries moreover physical facilities like safe drinking water, electricity, and sanitation facilities which make them vulnerable to diseases. 

Although policies are framed for a better education system in Pakistan there is a will in the hand of officials to implement them which is becoming a cause of the poor education system in Pakistan. 

Low budgetary allocation to the education sector has crippled the education system. Educational departments and institutes are not even capable of fulfilling the basic needs of students.

In Pakistan, there is no system of checks and balances and accountability, and such systems never grow. This corruption is a major threat to the future of the education and country as well. 

The effects of the poor education system in Pakistan are evident from the fact that there is a huge dropout of students from the schools.

·      Gender disparities at the time of enrollment lead to early marriages of girls which is affecting them physically as well as mentally.

·      One of the effects of a poor education system is political turmoil in the country.

·      Surge in the terrorist activity over the past few decades.

·      Sectorial hatred among people of different sects is prevailing.

·      Moreover, Social disparity, Economic instability, and Degradation of the governmental system are also common.

·      Due to poor education children have to face constraints in getting employment and earning in life.

·      It is threatening the survival of the citizens of Pakistan to shape a better future for themselves and society.

·      Students are incompetent to meet the international standards and criteria which affect them physically and mentally. 

Despite all the constraints, there are some solutions to educational problems in Pakistan which include:

·      Expand the use of technology so that new avenues of learning can be developed for the students.

·      Internet access provides the solution to educational problems in Pakistan faced by students who cannot go to school.

·      Budget allocation to the educational sector should be increased.

·      Promote technical and vocational education at the school level.

·      Use of the internet not only opens the students to current development but also to various learning tools.

·      Installment of a Proper training center for the teachers is necessary. Moreover, the government should announce incentives for them.

·      Promotion of the role of NGOs whose main agenda is the promotion of education.

·      Famous NGOs working to enhance the education system include Citizen Foundation, Zindagi Trust, and Street to School which provides scholarships to deserving students.

·      Create awareness among the students and parents to advocate for them about the necessity of education. Because the role of teachers, parents, and students is vital for the promotion of education.

·      The National Education Policy of 2021 offers a framework for enhancing the quality of education, especially for the impoverished. 

·      Curriculum should be revised annually and incorporated with new methods and strategies and aligned with the educational system of European countries to provide a solution to the educational problems in Pakistan.