Education emergency on the cards

1 min read

ISLAMABAD: Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said on 17 April that the ministry was working on a programme to declare an education emergency in the country to tackle the issue of out of school children (OOSC).

He stated this while talking to British High Commissioner to Pakistan Jane Marriott, who called on him at the ministry.

The meeting was attended by Country Director British Council James Hampson and Secretary Education Mohyuddin Wani.

The minister said the number of OOSC in Pakistan was ballooning and the only way to address the issue was by making it a national agenda. He said due to rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation and slums in major cities, the number of OOSC was increasing as slums were ignored in every education policy.

He highlighted the importance of ensuring that no child is left behind, says a press release.

Mr Siddiqui urged the UK to provide support in the cause of eliminating out of school children. He said we need to bring all stakeholders especially donors on the same platform so that efforts can be channelled and streamlined.

The minister said various initiatives were being taken to bring improvement in the education sector, saying: expense on education is not expenditure but investment.

The British high commissioner said UK and Pakistan were the oldest partners and had been shoulder to shoulder since 1947. She said UK encouraged expansion of its green programme which can lead to an increase in enrolment of Pakistani students in UK universities via distance learning.

She said Google Education was highly interested in supporting Pakistan in its bid to address the issue of access to education.

The high commissioner and the education minister also discussed the challenges and opportunities following the devolution of education to provinces.

The secretary education said the ministry was developing a comprehensive plan which will declare an education emergency in the country and align all stakeholders on the same page.

He said all donors and NGOs operating in Pakistan were working in silos and compartments.

Earlier, the minster while talking about youth said, `we have set a target to train one million youth in the IT sector.

He hoped that in the medium term, Pakistan will become one of the biggest suppliers of IT professionals to the world. He asked the UK to help in attaining IT certification for IT trained professionals that would be recognised globally.

The minister said the ministry aims to establish mental health awareness and support desks in all colleges in Islamabad.

The country director British Council told the minister that after China the biggest British Council Programme was in Pakistan. He said the global chief executive of British Council will be visiting Pakistan in May.

The minister welcomed the initiative from the British Council and expressed the desire to enhance collaboration between the council and Pakistan, especially with respect to increasing educational outreach programmes for slums in metropolitan cities of the country.

Acknowledgement: Published in Dawn News on 19th April 2024.
Previous Story

Sehat Sahulat vs. Universal Health Coverage

Next Story

Pakistan Non-Formal Education Annual Statistical Report 2021-22

Latest from Blog

Experts Call For Industry-academia Linkages To Promote Practical Education

SUKKUR: Every schoolteacher should foster students’ confidence by integrating STEAM education opportunities into their classrooms. Providing the right platforms will unlock their potential and enhance their abilities. “I strongly believe in empowering the young minds of Sukkur to become the scientists and innovators of tomorrow,” said Commissioner Sukkur Fayaz Hussain…

School Peon Arrested For Allegedly Molesting Teenage Boy

TAXILA: A man was arrested in Hasan Abdal for allegedly molesting a teenage boy on the school premises, police sources said on 13th February. According to police sources, a complainant told the police that his 13-year-old brother worked at a furniture market adjacent to the school. On Thursday, the suspect,…

Swabi Man Dies Of Suicide After Killing Four Children

SWABI: In a gory incident, a man slaughtered his four minor children and later committed suicide here on 13th February, the police and rescue officials said. When contacted, SHO Yar Hussain police station Abdul Wali Khan said that when they reached the house, the dead bodies were lying in a…

Girls’ Education

A RECENTLY held conference in Islamabad on the aforesaid subject is a valuable move to address the appalling condition of girls’ education in most Muslim societies. The conclusion of Clandon and his colleagues’ study of Muslim societies (2018) tells us what is obvious, that “At the global level, Muslim women…

Poor Results Of Govt School Students Trigger Protests In GB

GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan government has been facing severe criticism over the poor education standard in public schools after most students in grades five and eight failed the regional exams. The poor results have also triggered protests across GB. The result of the exam, conducted by the Board of Elementary Examination…
Go toTop