Experts demand more financial resources for quality education

Experts have urged the federal government to enhance the budget share for education by marking it as the pivotal factor in national growth and development while the new national education policy should address the accountability process in education sector as well. These recommendations were taken up by the leading educationists during a day-long seminar “Finance More to Educate More” held here at a local hotel to commemorate International Literacy Day 2015.

Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) in collaboration with Oxfam GB (OGB) held the seminar by focusing  on education financing while attended by AJK education minister Mian Abdul Waheed and various provincial education ministry representatives, education experts, youth, students, teachers and parents as stakeholders of the educational sector and with the interest to contribute insights to the upcoming policy for 2016.

While addressing the seminar AJK education minister Mian Abdul Waheed said that we need to change the perception regarding needs and requirements for distribution of resources for education. While talking about the importance of general public awareness, the minister said that common man and voter should come forward by compelling their leaders to work on their basic rights like education.

Experts expressed their concerns over the current situation in education sector and suggested that there should be a process to improve curriculum and formal teaching methods as par international standards while education financing should focus on bringing out equal number of girls as boys nationally. They also mentioned that designing curriculum with achievable goals and outcomes and focused towards the labor market while they stressed upon include 3rd party representatives for accountability of funds, such as media, private sector.

While talking on this occasion Qadeer Baig, Country Representative of Rutgers WPF said “The mind-set is that women stay at home and hence do not need education however they lead generations and focusing on gender equity is important for the development of Pakistan.”

Mr. Alam Thaheem, Director Literacy & Non-Formal Education, Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh while addressing a session on Social Accountability added “Priority should be given to girls, in such a way that her journey while trying to gain education should be incentivized in a safe and secure environment”.