look news india
islamabad : In an effort to deal with the challenges facing the education sector, the Government of Pakistan is planning to declare a four-year education emergency across the country. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to make this important announcement in the coming days, which will be part of a concerted effort to tackle critical issues such as the alarming number of out-of-school children and widespread deficiencies within the education system, reports Dawn. Will give a signal.
A conference, initially scheduled to be held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss the impending education emergency, was regrettably postponed due to the Prime Minister's prior commitments.
Nevertheless, the urgency and importance of the matter is paramount, inspiring a determined effort to bring about transformational change within the education landscape
The development comes at a time when Pakistan is grappling with the problem of 26.2 million out-of-school children, underscoring the need for urgent intervention.
Concurrently, the nation is grappling with an alarmingly low literacy rate of 62 per cent, which reflects systemic inadequacies that demand redressal. Moreover, as reported by Dawn, the government's paltry allocation of a mere 1.7 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to the education sector underlines the urgent need for a strategic overhaul.
Inequalities in access to essential amenities such as adequate sanitation, potable water and secure boundary walls within educational institutions compound the challenges faced by students, especially in marginalized communities. It is imperative to address these shortcomings to promote an inclusive and conducive learning environment for all.
Federal Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has been a vocal supporter of declaring a national education emergency, citing the dire need for concrete action to mitigate the crisis. Last month, after an extensive briefing on the prevalence of out-of-school children and other educational inequities, Siddiqui vowed to petition the prime minister and the federal cabinet to declare an emergency.
The seriousness of the situation is further underlined by recent data from Pakistan Education Statistics, which shows that 39 percent of children in the country are out of school. These figures are a reminder of the urgent need to overhaul the education system and ensure equitable access to quality education for all.
The proposed National Conference on Education Emergency to be held at the Prime Minister's Office aims to inspire collaborative efforts of all stakeholders. The conference, attended by Chief Ministers, development partners, diplomats and eminent academicians, sought to formulate holistic strategies and initiatives to address the root causes of educational inequalities.