Pakistan’s education system faces significant challenges, with around 26 million children out of school and only 5% of students receiving quality education. Additionally, only 12% of eligible students have access to higher education, as outlined in the “National Education Policy Development Framework 2024” launched by the Ministry of Federal Education (MoFEPT).
According to the framework, no province is exempt from these educational crises. The lack of quality education contributes to Pakistan’s low ranking of 164 out of 193 countries on the Human Development Index (HDI). The framework, presented by Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui at an event organized by the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE), aims to guide the development of provincial education policies.
The document also highlights the issue of child stunting, with 40% of children affected by age five, and the continued practice of corporal punishment, despite restrictions. It further calls attention to neglected areas such as bullying and child abuse.
In the higher education sector, despite rapid expansion, the framework emphasizes the need for quality improvement and increased access. While many universities struggle to align their education with modern industry and global standards, only 12% of the eligible age group currently has access to higher education. To improve, the framework calls for better teaching quality, enhanced learning outcomes, and research outputs that meet global benchmarks. Additionally, it stresses the importance of aligning curricula with economic needs and fostering industry-academia collaboration.
Dr Siddiqui underscored the urgency of implementing the framework, warning that failure to prepare the younger generation could leave millions irrelevant in the age of artificial intelligence. He also critiqued the indecision over the medium of instruction and stressed the importance of prioritizing education in AI, engineering, mathematics, and IT.
He lamented the lack of execution despite numerous policies since 1951 and criticized the entrenched feudal system that hampers progress. Dr Siddiqui questioned the proliferation of “ghost schools” and the difficulty in opening new ones, while noting that countries like China and India had lifted millions out of poverty over two decades.
Secretary of Education Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani stated that the framework was developed in consultation with experts and provincial representatives, addressing critical issues in school education, non-formal education, adult literacy, higher education, and vocational training. He highlighted the country’s poor ranking, the 62% literacy rate, and the severe gaps in foundational skills, access to higher education, and alignment with market needs.
Dr Mohammad Shahid Soroya, Director General of PIE, called the framework a milestone for the education sector, with provinces now tasked with developing their education policies based on it. The Ministry of Education aims to finalize a new education policy for the federal capital within three months.
In her video message, Balochistan’s Education Minister Rahila Durrani invited collaboration to address the province’s educational challenges, including teacher shortages and facility deficiencies. Various education officials from different provinces also spoke at the event.