Four year ‘education emergency ‘ on the cards

ISLAMABAD: To address the alarming issue of out-of-school children and other challenges in the education sector, the federal government is contemplating the declaration of a four-year education emergency’, Dawn news reported on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is reportedly going to make the announcement on the education crisis in the coming days. Sources reveal that a conference slated to be chaired by the PM today (Tuesday) was deferred to accommodate his prior commitments. Pakistan is grappling with a staggering 26.2 million out-of-school children, alongside a meagre literacy rate of 62 per cent.

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Additionally, the meager allocation of 1.7 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) towards education is likely to come under the focus of the new education policy.

Disparities in essential facilities such as sanitation, clean water, and infrastructure further compound the challenges faced by schools nationwide, particularly in rural areas. Last month, Federal Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, following a briefing on the out-of-school children crisis and educational infrastructure, expressed intentions to urge the Prime Minister and the federal cabinet to declare a national education emergency.

A recent report by Pakistan Education Statistics for 2021-22 highlighted a staggering 39 per cent of children being out of school, with Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan, and Islamabad collectively bearing the brunt.

At the time, the education ministry issued a statement emphasising the commitment to ensuring no child is left behind.

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The National Conference on Education Emergency, slated to convene at the Prime Minister’s Office, aimed to address pressing issues such as out-of-school children and learning poverty, with the participation of chief ministers, development partners, diplomats, and educationists.

The conference will offer a collaborative platform to devise effective strategies and initiatives for inclusive and quality education nationwide.