Save education
IN the wake of the devastating countrywide floods, public education faces an existential threat in several places. In Sindh alone, initial assessments indicate that almost 16,000 out of a total of 36,646 functional public schools have been badly damaged, either directly by the floodwater or by those who took shelter in them. School infrastructure was already in tatters, and the floods have made it worse.
In any given month, student absenteeism remains high — between 40pc and 60pc according to some estimates. Dropout rates at the primary level — are massive; reportedly, almost 50pc of children walk out of school before reaching Class 5, and the transition from primary to secondary school remains stubbornly low. Of course, it is no secret that the quality of education continues to be of serious concern, with periodic surveys and assessments highlighting low scores in language (English, Urdu and Sindhi) mathematics and general science tests. While the percentage share of education in the provincial outlay increased from 13.4pc in 2011 to 18.5pc in 2017, the overall impact on the school environment has been negligible.
Meanwhile, the population of out-of-school children is growing. The numbers falling under this category across primary, middle, secondary and higher secondary school in Sindh is estimated at 6.75 million children aged from five to 16 years; the number of children dropping out has seen an increase from 1.87m in 2007-08 to 2.57m. My experience while working on international projects focusing on education in Sindh tells me that these numbers could be inflated, as the government, which wants foreign loans and grants, is not prepared to correct them. Nonetheless, the issue of children dropping out of school remains a serious concern.
Due to these woes, millions of children continue to be deprived of their constitutional right to education, while huge urban-rural as well as gender inequalities abound in the province. Half the people live in the rural areas where chronic problems like illiteracy, out-of-school children, a growing population, and poor learning outcomes refuse to go away. For example, according to some estimates, literacy may actually have declined from 60pc to 58pc. With regard to urban-rural differences, 73pc of the population (10 years and above) is said to be literate in the urban areas whereas in the rural areas, the figure is only 39pc. When it comes to literacy among girls, matters are even worse.
Millions are being deprived of their constitutional right.
Why has the education crisis remained unsolvable since independence? We have seen many rulers — military dictators and civilian leaders — come and go but an effective and efficient solution to the chronic ills that beset this sector of national life has eluded everyone. Over seven decades, several education policies, five-year plans, and dozens of development schemes have attempted to put the system on track but all efforts have been in vain.
Faulty planning, deficient governance, poverty, and lack of awareness about the importance of education among parents are commonly cited as the main reasons behind the continuous failure of the effort to boost learning. The hard truth is that these problems could have been effectively tackled — had the ruling elite demonstrated a sincere commitment towards education. For them, the children of the poor and powerless don’t matter beyond rhetoric and cosmetic gestures. Following the 18th Constitutional Amendment, education became a fundamental right, but despite that, allocation in terms of GDP percentage continues to be ridiculously low. Clearly, no priority is attached to educating our children.
Sadly, education is no longer a common good but a commodity, only accessible to those who can afford it. Well-off parents have no interest in the public education system. Market-based solutions have birthed multiple schooling systems ie English-medium elite schools, private schools, low-cost private schools, religious schools, etc. A hierarchical schooling system is reinforcing existing social stratifications and biases. The government doesn’t have a clear policy on how to tackle the challenge; it can only come up with haphazardly prepared education plans and projects, which obviously don’t work.
The growing urban and rural and gender inequalities in education cannot be plugged unless the whole paradigm of education planning and implementation is reviewed and radically revised. Business as usual has never worked. The flood not only offers an opportunity to address the chronic problems listed here but also a chance to make education resilient to climate change. It is up to the policymakers to turn the challenge into an opportunity and find innovative solutions that could pave the way for change in Sindh.
The writer is an educationist. Has worked with local and international organisations in Pakistan.
Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2022