33pc children in Balochistan out of school: survey

Published February 20, 2015
File photo shows a street child.—White Star/File
File photo shows a street child.—White Star/File

QUETTA: About 33 per cent of children in Balochistan, aged between six and 16, are out of school and student competency in learning English and Arithmetic is deplorable, says a survey report.

The report on the status of education in Balochistan during the year 2014 compiled by the Annual Status of Education Reporter (Aser) Pakistan, an NGO, was launched at a seminar here on Thursday.

The director, Idara-i-Taleem-o-Aagahi, Baela Raza Jameel, said the survey had been based on information about 60,535 children aged between 3 and 16. She said the data about these children, 39pc of those are girls, had been collected by volunteers who visited 18,536 households in 947 villages.

Take a look: Abandoned

“The survey revealed that the private sector is performing better than the government sector as far as the learning levels of children are concerned,” she said.

Quoting from the survey report, Ms Raza said that student competencies in learning English, Arithmetic and Language were deplorable and added that 67pc of students of Class-V were unable to read Class-II level text in Urdu.

“In English, only 28pc of the surveyed Class-V students could read sentences which should ideally be read by students from the second grade and a similar trend has been observed in Arithmetic capabilities of children where only 24pc of Class-V children were able to do a two-digit division respectively,” she said.

She said boys were outperforming girls in literacy and numeracy skills in rural Balochistan where 34pc of boys were found able to read sentences in Urdu as compared to 23pc girls.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Military option
Updated 21 Nov, 2024

Military option

While restoring peace is essential, addressing Balochistan’s socioeconomic deprivation is equally important.
HIV/AIDS disaster
21 Nov, 2024

HIV/AIDS disaster

A TORTUROUS sense of déjà vu is attached to the latest health fiasco at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital. The largest...
Dubious pardon
21 Nov, 2024

Dubious pardon

IT is disturbing how a crime as grave as custodial death has culminated in an out-of-court ‘settlement’. The...
Islamabad protest
Updated 20 Nov, 2024

Islamabad protest

As Nov 24 draws nearer, both the PTI and the Islamabad administration must remain wary and keep within the limits of reason and the law.
PIA uncertainty
20 Nov, 2024

PIA uncertainty

THE failed attempt to privatise the national flag carrier late last month has led to a fierce debate around the...
T20 disappointment
20 Nov, 2024

T20 disappointment

AFTER experiencing the historic high of the One-day International series triumph against Australia, Pakistan came...