Pakistan Over 230 Billions needed for compulsory education

ISLAMABAD : An additional about 231 billion are required to ensure compulsory education to all children at the primary and secondary level in Pakistan, as enshrined in Article 25-A of the constitution, during the next five years This was stated during the launch of two papers “Mapping the scope of work, roles and responsibilities, capacities and resources required for implementation of Article 25-A” and “Alternative financing framework and model for provinces and districts in lieu of RTE implementation”.

It may be noted that parliament has recently passed a bill to ensure implementation of Article 25-A of the constitution.

The papers produced by Pakistan coalition for education suggest ways to implement the right to education law in letter and spirit.

The reports said the present level of public funding catered only to 50 per cent children from five to 16 years of age. With 58 per cent literacy rate and the current level of funding, it is very difficult, if not possible, to achieve the national objective of universal primary education by 2015 and provision of free and compulsory schooling to the children in line with Article 25-A.

Arif Majeed, an educationist and the author of the reports, said the nation’s right to education can only be ensured by increasing the budgetary allocation for the sector.

Nargis Sultana of the Open Society Institute added that access to education was as important as the quality of education. She pointed out that the low and inefficient utilisation of allocated funds was extremely worrying.

Education is a primary right of every child and the citizen unless Pakistan will not take this issue serious will not be able to compete with the world, No one wants to send their children to Government schools even those who are teacher in government schools and collages sends their children to private school because of better education standards. Private universities are very expensive to become a doctor it costs more than 1.5 million which is out of the reach of many parents, Governments must provide ” Karz-e-Hasna” to deserving students so that they can complete the education and later when they get a job pay back without Interest.