status of national education policy 2009

National Policy Framework is being developed by the Ministry of Federal Education

1 min read

Islamabad: Despite the lack of progress in introducing an education policy since 2009, the education ministry has commenced efforts to finalize a policy framework.

The ministry acknowledges that education is a devolved subject, preventing the formulation of a national education policy. However, it can develop a national education policy framework.

“We are currently in the process of finalizing the national education policy framework, which will be presented for approval at the upcoming Inter-Provincial Education Ministers Conference (IPEMC),” stated Education Secretary Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry.

Mr. Chaudhry explained to Dawn that previously, the education ministry would finalize the national education policy. However, since the subject was devolved to the provinces, it became the responsibility of the respective provinces. “As the federal education ministry, we can still establish a framework for the policy, which we have already begun working on. This framework will then be shared with the provinces,” Mr. Chaudhry added. He also mentioned that the IPEMC meeting is expected to take place soon, where the framework will be presented for approval. The ministry has previously prepared the National Education Policy 2009, draft national education policy 2016, and national education policy framework 2018.

In recent years, attempts were made to finalize a new policy; however, these efforts were unsuccessful due to objections from one of the provinces, citing the devolution of the subject.

The existing 2009 policy has become outdated and contains several inconsistencies, such as the budget allocation, which was set at 7% of the GDP while the country only allocated 3% of the GDP for education.

According to the Economic Survey of 2021-22, the country spent 1.7% of the GDP on education in the recorded year. Additionally, there is a need to establish targets in the policy related to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs), implementing information technology, e-learning, etc.

During the tenure of the PML-N government, efforts were made to develop a new policy, and a draft was prepared in 2016, which included the addition of nine new chapters. However, the policy was not introduced. Similarly, when the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) came to power, it also announced the introduction of a new policy but failed to do so. Nevertheless, in 2018, the government managed to introduce an education framework that sought public feedback before finalizing the education policy for 2021.

Reference: Abbasi, K. (2023, May 22). Ministry focusing on education framework instead of policy. DAWN.COM. https://www.dawn.com/news/1754886

reasons for poor enrolment for girls in Pakistan
Previous Story

Are social attitudes towards girl education difficult to break in Pakistan?

transforming education in Gilgit Baltistan
Next Story

GB Government converted a sub-jail in Chilas into a Girls School

Latest from Blog

Schools Violating Vacation Orders Penalised

SWABI: Complaints pouring in from different circles have forced the officials of the district administration to take action against schools who failed to comply with the provincial government’s order of summer holidays. The provincial education department has closed both public and private sector schools for summer holidays on June 15,…

Three Booked For Rape Of Ninth-grader

SAHIWAL: Police have registered a case against three suspects and arrested two of them for allegedly molesting and blackmailing a 15-year-old ninth-grade student through a mobile phone video in the official quarters of the irrigation department in Neeli Bar Canal Colony. Reports said ‘S’ of Sarwar Shaheed Road, Civil Lines,…

Three Pakistani Schools Among Top 10 Finalists For World’s Best School Prizes

ISLAMABAD: Three Pakistani schools have been named among the Top 10 finalists for the World’s Best School Prizes 2025. The prizes, launched by T4 Education in 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic, aim to highlight innovative practices in schools that are transforming lives both inside and outside the classroom, according to…

Three Missing Hindu Girls Recovered From Karachi

Three underage Hindu girls who had mysteriously gone missing from Shahdadpur recently have been recovered from Karachi. Officials said on Thursday that Dr Lal Chand Ukrani, special assistant to the chief minister of Sindh on minority affairs, had taken serious notice of the incident and directed law enforcement agencies to…

STBB Committee Calls For Creativity And Tolerance In School Curricula

Hyderabad: The Sindh Textbook Board (STBB) reviewed committee has emphasised the inclusion of critical thinking, creativity and tolerance in school curricula. Officials said on 18-June-2025 that on the directives of Sindh Minister for Education Syed Sardar Ali Shah, the first meeting of the curriculum review committee formed by the Sindh…
Go toTop