The Malala Day

An honour for Pakistan

The 10th of November, observed as Malala Day throughout the world under the auspices of the United Nation, was indeed a great honour for Pakistan. The observance of the day in recognition of Malala’s services to the cause of women education has sent positive signals to the world community in regards to the commitment of the government and the Pakistani nation to fight the forces of darkness and not to allow them to deprive the Pakistani women of their legitimate right to acquire knowledge. The overwhelming appreciation and support of the international community in this regard is a welcome development and a unique opportunity for our policy planners to come out of their slumber and transform this chance into an abiding reality. The world is listening and ready to help and supplement our indigenous efforts to spread the light of education.

It is said that knowledge is the best weapon of the small nations. Islam, the most dynamic, progressive and humanitarian religion, also gives top most priority to education of men and women. We as a nation have to fix our priorities. It is an irrefutable reality that education, one of the vital propellers of socio-economic development, has always remained a low priority of the successive governments. Even after 65 years of our independence, we are spending around two percent of our GDP on education, whereas the developed countries spend between six-10 percent of their GDPs on educating their youth. In our own region, Iran spends 4.9 percent India 4.1 percent and Malaysia 8.1 percent of GDP on education which adequately explains the phenomenal economic progress of these countries. The best tribute to Malala would be to universalise quality education by opening more schools, colleges and universities in the public sector.

However, it is encouraging to note that things have started improving. The present government, through the education policy announced in 2009, has committed to raise the budgetary allocation for education to seven percent of GDP by the year 2015 and also bridge the public-private divide by bringing harmony through common standards, quality and regulatory regimes. Another very appreciative step is the passage of The Right to Free Education Bill 2012 by the National Assembly and Senate on Tuesday, 13 November. The bill prescribes free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of 5-16 years in the Islamabad Capital Territory in consonance with article 25A of the constitution.

These steps augur well for the future of our younger generation and the country. After the 18th amendment in the constitution, the subject of education has been transferred to the provinces and they have also been given enhanced share from the divisible pool under the 7th NFC Award. It is hoped that they will also follow the footsteps of the federal government and make concerted efforts to give the same priority to education in their areas of jurisdiction as has been done by the federal government.

Another area that needs to be looked at is the mushroom growth of universities and schools in the private sector. Though by opening the field of education to the private sector the number of schools and universities has increased exponentially and enrolment both of men and women has also witnessed tremendous increase, the quality and standard of education is on the downward curve.

At present, there are 85 and 72 degree awarding universities in the public and private sectors respectively in Pakistan, which by any standards is a fairly high figure for a developing country like Pakistan. Until 1991, there were only two recognised private universities in Pakistan: Aga Khan University, established in 1983, and Lahore University of Management Sciences, established in 1985. By 1997, however, there were 10 private universities and in 2001-2002 the number doubled to 20. After the establishment of Higher Education Commission in 2002, the number of private universities has increased phenomenally. Any outside observer would get the impression that with so many universities functioning, the country was taking tremendous strides in the field of higher education with all the accompanying features that contribute to kick starting the process of sustained socio-economic growth. That indeed is a false impression.

The commercialism in private universities and private schools is also having adverse impact on the educational environment in the public sector educational institutes. The teachers of the public sector are now increasingly becoming commercial in their outlook. They have established their evening academies and the students in their colleges and universities are encouraged to join those academies.

The teachers exhibit more commitment and dedication to their students in academies than to their daytime scholars. The ultimate sufferers are again the parents who have to bear the extra burden of their children attending these academies. These developments have affected the overall quality and standard of education in the country. The Chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission in his annual report to the president for the year 2011 lamented the fact that the standard of English of the CSS candidates was extremely poor and the government ought to pay attention to arrest this decline.

All over the world, education is the responsibility of the government but in our country it was abdicated to the private sector. The higher education requires top priority and should be entrusted only to the public sector with uniform curricula in all the disciplines and an imaginative regulatory policy in tune with the emerging realities. The government should also heavily subsidise education, especially the higher education so that the parents can easily afford to defray the expenses of educating their children. The money required for the purpose can be raised by withdrawing subsidies on other items, enhancing budgetary allocations as envisaged in the education policy and seeking assistance from the international donors.

It should also be made mandatory for private schools and the degree awarding private universities to follow the same curricula as prescribed for the public sector educational institutions. There is also a need for rationalising the fee structure of the private education institutions and keep strict vigilance to prevent them from fleecing the public. Social justice also demands immediate action in these areas by the federal and provincial governments.