Lahore:
Punjab represents 10 million of the 26 million schoolchildren estimated in the country, according to a UNICEF report. The recently published report said that Pakistan had one of the world’s highest ratios of children. It is believed that thousands of children left outside the school would be in workshops and factories.
The report revealed that only 66% of the children in the province were able to finish primary education. Thus, one of the three children died and does not study until the 5th year. Another alarming observation of the report is that only 12% of children aged seven to 14 have basic mathematical skills, a figure significantly lower than the average of 22% present in medium-midnight countries in the world. Educational experts warn that these figures highlight a serious crisis in the country’s education system and performance. They say that the report exposed the government’s claims concerning its efforts to bring children to school outside the school.
A senior official of the Punjab School Education Department said: “The report indicates that around 26 million children are currently sheltered from school in Pakistan and that it is a higher number than the whole population of countries like Sri Lanka. Among these, 10 million belong to Punjab, the most populated province in the country.”
The statistics cited in the report also showed that certain elements were in error the government of Punjab on the issue of children outside the province, said the official.
According to sources, false data entries of thousands of children have been detected recently in the province. School administrations would have been involved in the registration of false admission data and the Ministry of Education had taken note of the case.
The report also highlights deep disparities in the distribution of educational resources. Public schools receive almost 3.8 times more funding per student compared to private establishments operating under the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF).
On the other hand, the teachers’ representative maintains that government policies widen the gap in educational results and strengthen classes -based divisions in the sector.
The report has also highlighted rapid demographic growth, urging immediate reforms to restore balance and equity in education and qualify the situation a threat to stability and future progress in the country.
“In the past, several programs have been launched in the province to increase the literacy ratio, including universal primary inscriptions and schools for the poor, but the real problem is the increase in population,” said Rana Liaqat Ali, secretary general of Punjab Teachers Union.
He said that the authorities did not build new schools and did not underpin existing institutions.
“A low literacy ratio in the country, including the province, is a major problem and our decision-makers should seriously think about the issue of children outside schooling,” he added.
