education in Pakistan

A solution for millions of out-of-school children?

According to a UNICEF report, around 22.8 million children between the ages of five to16 are out of school in Pakistan. Unsurprisingly, these kids can neither read nor write, as a result of which they are labelled as illiterate or uneducated. Some scholars believe that such labelling is unjustified because children do not stay out of school purposely or willingly. Their…

How many more children will we sacrifice?

Nazir left home in a fury to locate his 12-year-old son, Shaheer, who had gone out with friends despite his disapproval. He soon caught sight of Shaheer flying kites with his mates. The sight of his son playing only added to his wrath and he couldn’t help but drag his…

Can education serve as a catalyst for social progress and change?

The recent murder of Dr Ajmal Sawand, an Assistant Professor at Sukkur…

Is it a language problem or an inherent flaw?

It is heart-rending to see how some issues may hold enough negativity…

Unspoken Barriers

RECENTLY, at a history conference on academic freedom held at SZABIST, a session was devoted to analysing the culture of silence that has come to prevail in our academia. It was attributed to the penchant of the powers that be to clamp down on the free expression of opinion by…

Implementation of Article 25A in Pakistan

Education: A moment for introspection and taking action

On April 19, 2010, the Constitution Act also known as the Eighteenth Amendment, received the assent of then President Asif Ali Zardari and was promulgated the following day. One of the monumental changes introduced by the 18th amendment was Article 25-A, that propagated a child’s “right to education.” It reads,…

Problems of Education System in Pakistan

Education ‘reimagining’ for a Change?

THE sentiment to ‘reimagine’ is commendable. We haven’t done well in many things, and should, if possible, ‘reimagine’ and try to do things better. But reimagining doesn’t mean that the solutions we come up with will be easy or straightforward or quickly implemented for results. ‘Reimagining’ may give solutions that…