ISLAMABAD:
Most innovative interventions in education across the world have stemmed from increased interest shown by the political elite, said United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director Marc Andre Franche.
“In Pakistan too, there is progress in the form of enhanced provincial budgetary allocations and improving governance, however, this political drive needs more energy, commitment and sustainability,” he said, while speaking to the participants of a workshop held under the National Millennium Development Goals Acceleration Framework (MAF), organised by the UNDP.
The participants shared information and survey details which suggested that children from low-income families were nearly six times as likely to be out-of-school compared to children growing up in richer households.
Federal Education Minister Balighur Rehman said that the government was committed to enhancing the literacy rate and promoting quality education. He also called for introducing more technical education programmes.
Alif Ailaan Campaign Director Mosharraf Zaidi from said that of the 25 million out-of-school children in Pakistan, 57 per cent were from the poorest income groups.
Sharing statistics from a report to be launched on Tuesday, Zaidi said that the mantra of cultural barriers for not sending girls to school was based on misperceptions. “In 34 per cent of cases, people do not allow girls to get enrolled because of the incomplete school infrastructure,” he said, asking why parents would enrol their daughters in schools which lack core staff, drinking water, boundary walls, and toilets.
In another session, officials from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government said that they were not removing changing made in the curriculum regarding minorities. Instead, the textbook board has published separate books for them.
Officials from every province shared their efforts, achievements and challenges in the education sector. Jamaluddin from K-P said that construction of new schools, recruitment and training of teachers have started bearing fruit in the province.
“We are also trying to end the culture of absenteeism among teachers through an integrated monitoring system,” Jamal said.
Ghulam Nabi from Sindh talked about a campaign they have initiated to work on ‘underutilised schools’ and use cash transfer programmes to increase girls’ enrollment.
The participants also termed the National Education Policy 2009 ‘full of ambiguity’.
K-P Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Atif Khan said that education was their top priority area and that the provincial government has “stopped political interference in the education sector and not a single person has been appointed without merit in the teaching sector,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2014.
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