By Hiba Saeed
Education is the universal, fundamental human right, recognized as such by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed in international human rights convention. Article thirty seven of the Constitution of Pakistan states clearly that education is a fundamental right of every citizen. All 189 United Nations member states at the time and at least 23 international organizations committed to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
In these 8 goals, there is goal to achieve Universal Primary Education and ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be to complete a full course of primary schooling. We have only one year o fulfill these goals. Total estimated population of Pakistan for 2010 is over 173 million. The ratio of women to men in Pakistan population is tilted in favor of men with 108 males per 100 females. Pakistan has committed to various other international conventions and agreements relating to equal access to education for boys and girls.
According to Global Gender Gap Report, Pakistan placed at 129 out of 135 countries for education attainment. Inequalities in education sector are widespread phenomenon in the world, particularly in the developing world, to which Pakistan is no exception. About 50 percent of Pakistani girls drop out of school and our literacy rate for women is amongst the lowest in the world. 1 in 3 young women aged 20-24 was married before the age of 18.
Early marriage forces girls to leave school and miss out opportunities to receive an education and skills needed to fulfill their potential. These girls turn into uneducated mothers, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Gender inequality in education still exists instead of the Quran’s spirit of “Iqra” (read). Muslims in Pakistan fail to follow true spirit of Islam from generation to generation.
Gender inequality can also be because of opportunity cost, poverty, cultural constraints, and illiteracy of parents and parental concerns about safety and mobility of their daughters. Educational opportunities available in Pakistan are of diverse nature beside the gender inequality.
There are deep inequalities based on regional inequalities, rural urban location, income and wealth of parents, medium of instruction in schools, types of schools and access to extra coaching. When there is inequality in society, the structure of society will be disorganized and it gives rise to anti-social activities.
The rapid growth of the private sector, over this period, has also added to the diversity and inequality of educational opportunities. In Pakistan, The cost of education is another determinant for parents to decide whether to send their children; to government schools, private schools or no schools. Educating a child in public school costs twice to society as would cost in private school. Despite increased enrolment and attendance, inequalities between the rich and poor still persist and the move towards universal primary education has resulted in more parents sending their children to private schools as reports of low educational standards within government schools emerge.
While we are discussing about inequalities in education we pay no attention to another type of inequality namely, inequality in learning. And because of the poor learning conditions and absent teachers in public schools, their students cannot hope to compete with graduates of English medium schools, even if they are lucky enough to get a pass on their exams.
There has always been a hierarchy of schooling in Pakistan. However, the increasing range of private schools means the difference between high and low quality education is growing. There is a mushroom growth of the English-medium schools, especially at the primary level. English still attracts parents who feel elated when their children demonstrate verbal skills in English. However, the high tuition schools that give good quality education, meant mainly for the elite, are indirectly perpetuating class distinctions as they mainly cater to the upper strata of society.
Increasingly the quality of education depends on being able to pay for private education. Standard government schools deliver very low learning outcomes. Employment opportunities are dictated by the type of school attended.
Schools, which might award economic opportunities on students, are beyond the reach of normal citizens. Inequality is neither natural nor is it written in the fate of each individual or group; in modern times, it can be said that it results from state policies, the nature of politics and traditional social orders founded on elitism and hierarchy in social relations.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Inequality of education in Pakistan
By Hiba Saeed
Education is the universal, fundamental human right, recognized as such by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and reaffirmed in international human rights convention. Article thirty seven of the Constitution of Pakistan states clearly that education is a fundamental right of every citizen. All 189 United Nations member states at the time and at least 23 international organizations committed to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
In these 8 goals, there is goal to achieve Universal Primary Education and ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be to complete a full course of primary schooling. We have only one year o fulfill these goals. Total estimated population of Pakistan for 2010 is over 173 million. The ratio of women to men in Pakistan population is tilted in favor of men with 108 males per 100 females. Pakistan has committed to various other international conventions and agreements relating to equal access to education for boys and girls.
According to Global Gender Gap Report, Pakistan placed at 129 out of 135 countries for education attainment. Inequalities in education sector are widespread phenomenon in the world, particularly in the developing world, to which Pakistan is no exception. About 50 percent of Pakistani girls drop out of school and our literacy rate for women is amongst the lowest in the world. 1 in 3 young women aged 20-24 was married before the age of 18.
Early marriage forces girls to leave school and miss out opportunities to receive an education and skills needed to fulfill their potential. These girls turn into uneducated mothers, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Gender inequality in education still exists instead of the Quran’s spirit of “Iqra” (read). Muslims in Pakistan fail to follow true spirit of Islam from generation to generation.
Gender inequality can also be because of opportunity cost, poverty, cultural constraints, and illiteracy of parents and parental concerns about safety and mobility of their daughters. Educational opportunities available in Pakistan are of diverse nature beside the gender inequality.
There are deep inequalities based on regional inequalities, rural urban location, income and wealth of parents, medium of instruction in schools, types of schools and access to extra coaching. When there is inequality in society, the structure of society will be disorganized and it gives rise to anti-social activities.
The rapid growth of the private sector, over this period, has also added to the diversity and inequality of educational opportunities. In Pakistan, The cost of education is another determinant for parents to decide whether to send their children; to government schools, private schools or no schools. Educating a child in public school costs twice to society as would cost in private school. Despite increased enrolment and attendance, inequalities between the rich and poor still persist and the move towards universal primary education has resulted in more parents sending their children to private schools as reports of low educational standards within government schools emerge.
While we are discussing about inequalities in education we pay no attention to another type of inequality namely, inequality in learning. And because of the poor learning conditions and absent teachers in public schools, their students cannot hope to compete with graduates of English medium schools, even if they are lucky enough to get a pass on their exams.
There has always been a hierarchy of schooling in Pakistan. However, the increasing range of private schools means the difference between high and low quality education is growing. There is a mushroom growth of the English-medium schools, especially at the primary level. English still attracts parents who feel elated when their children demonstrate verbal skills in English. However, the high tuition schools that give good quality education, meant mainly for the elite, are indirectly perpetuating class distinctions as they mainly cater to the upper strata of society.
Increasingly the quality of education depends on being able to pay for private education. Standard government schools deliver very low learning outcomes. Employment opportunities are dictated by the type of school attended.
Schools, which might award economic opportunities on students, are beyond the reach of normal citizens. Inequality is neither natural nor is it written in the fate of each individual or group; in modern times, it can be said that it results from state policies, the nature of politics and traditional social orders founded on elitism and hierarchy in social relations.
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