THE provincial government recently directed the Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) to establish 300 digital ‘micro-schools’ to enroll 300,000 out-of-school children. In essence, the microschooling concept is the reinvention of the one-room schoolhouse, and employs smartphones as well as tablets for implementing effective learning programmes.

Undeniably, Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children, and the figure has been growing dramatically. The number of out-of-school children has gone up from approximately 22 million to 25.6 million over the last decade alone.

Unfortunately, millions of children have remained deprived of education for decades. Now, only 300,000 children will study in microschools, and that, too, for two hours only. What about the other children? Also, what is the need of bringing such a digital model of education when even the traditional system is not kept fully and meaningfully functional?

The provincial education minister has admitted that teachers are untrained and incompetent. The question is: who recruited these untrained as well as unqualified teachers?

It is time for steps that may at least have the potential to improve the standard of education. There is simply no space for measures that will only drain resources and finances in return for giving the decision-makers some political mileage. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

Asif Thebo
Dadu

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2024