Inequality of education in
Pakistan:
Education is the universal, fundamental human right, recognized as such by the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed in international human
rights convention. Article thirty seven of the Constitution of Pakistan states
clearly that education is a fundamental right of every citizen.The
internationally agreed framework of 8 goals and 18 targets signed by the UN
members in 2000. All 189 United Nations member states at the time and at least
23 international organizations committed to help achieve the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015. In these 8 goals, there is goal to achieve Universal
Primary Education and ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls
alike, will be to complete a full course of primary schooling. We have only one
year o fulfill these goals. Total estimated population of Pakistan for 2010 is
over 173 million. The ratio of women to men in Pakistan population is tilted in
favor of men with 108 males per 100 females. Pakistan has committed to various
other international conventions and agreements relating to equal access to
education for boys and girls. According to Global Gender Gap Report, Pakistan
placed at 129 out of 135 countries for education attainment. Inequalities in
education sector are widespread phenomenon in the world, particularly in the
developing world, to which Pakistan is no exception. About 50 percent of
Pakistani girls drop out of school and our literacy rate for women is amongest
the lowest in the world. 1 in 3 young women aged 20–24 was married before the
age of 18. Early marriage forces girls to leave school and miss out
opportunities to receive an education and skills needed to fulfill their
potential. These girls turn into uneducated mothers, perpetuating the cycle of
poverty. Gender inequality in education still exists instead of the Quran’s
spirit of “Iqra” (read). Muslims in Pakistan fail to follow true spirit of Islam
from generation to generation. Gender inequality can also be because of
opportunity cost, poverty, cultural constraints, and illiteracy of parents and
parental concerns about safety and mobility of their daughters. Educational
opportunities available in Pakistan are of diverse nature beside the gender
inequality. There are deep inequalities based on regional inequalities, rural
urban location, income and wealth of parents, medium of instruction in schools,
types of schools and access to extra coaching. When there is inequality in
society, the structure of society will be disorganized and it gives rise to
anti-social activities. The rapid growth of the private sector, over this
period, has also added to the diversity and inequality of educational
opportunities. In Pakistan, The cost of education is another determinant for
parents to decide whether to send their children; to government schools, private
schools or no schools. Educating a child in public school costs twice to society
as would cost in private school. Despite increased enrollment and attendance,
inequalities between the rich and poor still persist and the move towards
universal primary education has resulted in more parents sending their children
to private schools as reports of low educational standards within government
schools emerge. While we are discussing about inequalities in education we pay
no attention to another type of inequality namely, inequality in learning. And
because of the poor learning conditions and absent teachers in public schools,
their students cannot hope to compete with graduates of English medium schools,
even if they are lucky enough to get a pass on their exams. There has always
been a hierarchy of schooling in Pakistan. However, the increasing range of
private schools means the difference between high and low quality education is
growing. There is a mushroom growth of the English-medium schools, especially at
the primary level. English still attracts parents who feel elated when their
children demonstrate verbal skills in English. However, the high tuition schools
that give good quality education, meant mainly for the elite, are indirectly
perpetuating class distinctions as they mainly cater to the upper strata of
society. Increasingly the quality of education depends on being able to pay for
private education. Standard government schools deliver very low learning
outcomes. Employment opportunities are dictated by the type of school attended.
Schools, which might award economic opportunities on students, are beyond the
reach of normal citizens. Designing those policies that extend opportunities to
hard-to-reach children, such as those living in poor rural areas and slums.
Inequality is neither natural nor is it written in the fate of each individual
or group; in modern times, it can be said that it results from state policies,
the nature of politics and traditional social orders founded on elitism and
hierarchy in social relations.