Education System in Pakistan
(Azhar ul haq Wahid, Karachi)
Touqeer Ahsan
Education plays a vital role in the progress of any nation and is responsible
for its advancementtowards success. That is why the founder of Pakistan
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah laid great stress onacquiring education. He
once said while addressing the students:
“Education is a matter of life and death for our country”
The constitution of Pakistan has also provided the right of education to every
Pakistani. The article 25-A of the constitution of Pakistan says:
“The state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the
age five to sixteen years in such a manner as may be determined by the law”
In spite of all the emphases on acquiring education, not much has been done this
regard. The education system of Pakistan is still in its nascent stage due to
lack of importance given by the government. Education has not been the priority
of any government in any era since the inception of our country that is we are
lagging behind many countries in the field of education.
Of the total budget only 3 percent is allocated to education which is definitely
not enough to provide quality education. High amount of our total budget is
reserved for defense system because we live in a place that is surrounded by
threats. We have to develop a stronger defense system because we have to protect
ourselves from India and the terrorism that roots from Afghanistan as well as
inside the country.
A small amount of 3 percent will never be able finish the darkness of ignorance
from our country. Also the war against terrorism has cost us a very heavy
amount. We are spending more on guns then on butter. The situation in remote
areas is very discouraging in this especially when we talk about education,
where government’s negligence is quite visible. There are not enough schools and
colleges in rural areas, also there are not any qualified teachers that are
serious in providing education to the students. Lack of infrastructure is also a
hurdle in this regard if there are schools in any area then furniture and
stationary is missing and if there are teachers then students are absent and
vice versa. Government should start work on emergency basis at education.