Education is the basic pillar for economic growth and poverty reduction. Without education no nation can take advantage from technology and can’t compete with others. Education is an escape from poverty because educated people are offered better jobs and opportunities. Pakistan is suffering from a lot of problems and the literacy rate is another additional and big problem.
South Asia and South East Asia were at the same level of development in 1960s but the only difference was the literacy rate. In South Asia, literacy rate ranged between 9 percent to 15 percent while it was around 70 percent in South East Asia. East Asian developing countries almost reached their goal of educating most of the people of their country. As a result, East Asian countries are well-beyond the comparable range of South Asian countries. The rapid economic progress in South Asian countries in 1980s was totally based on education.
In the education sector, the overall result is disappointing. Pakistan’s net primary enrolment rate is well behind its neighbours in South Asia; net primary enrolment rate is 65 percent in Pakistan, 75 percent in Bangladesh, 77 percent in India and close to 100 percent in Sri Lanka. From Pakistan’s net enrolment rate it is obvious that if the education rate in Pakistan does not increase, we will never get success.
There is shortage of trained and qualified teachers, especially female teachers. Teachers mostly have no interest in teaching and lack focus towards their work. The schools have lack infrastructure problems. These are but just some of the main problems which should be solved first to offer universal education to the nation. We must not forget that education is the only way to success.
AREESHA ABUBAKAR
Karachi