Ms Aalia Khan is a business analyst by profession, but she finds joy in her passion for education reforms.
I would scream about this at the top of my lungs if I thought it could make a difference, but as a woman of logic, I know it won’t. I find myself furiously typing away at my laptop instead, hoping against hope that maybe someone will take heed. I imagine someone rolling their eyes at my redundant choice of the topic because we have all heard it a million times before from common people and our beloved icons like Malala- that education is important. It is our right.
I wish it was as simple as that because although we can all agree about the importance of education and our right to have it in Pakistan, here we are, with a struggling economy and a crisis at our hands, with solutions that are also within those same hands. In this article, I am going to provide you with hard-core facts and a logical approach to support those statements. I’ll also draw from my personal experiences as a Pakistani citizen and educator, without withholding my ethical and moral indignation at the current state of our education system.
The Current State
The words “education” and “degree” are ubiquitous in Pakistan, but for all the wrong reasons and hence the crisis. We approach education in fear of the “shame” of “being known as uneducated” without a piece of paper to prove our worth. Gone will be marriage prospects, a career, or any respect in the perfect nightmare scenario.
As someone who has tried to change the system by working for education-centered NGOs and teaching in slums after quitting to tutor for international educational institutions, I have seen, up close, the horrors of what bright children can turn into without proper education—or no education at all. I feel like giving up because what is one woman going to do for the 22.8 million children aged 5-16 not attending school in Pakistan, the majority being girls? This number represents 44% of the total population in the 5-16 age group.
You would think that those holding degrees are better off. That’s not true. They get thrown into a world full of corporate politics, with all formal education rendered useless due to bribery, favoritism, and nepotism. According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2022, Pakistan ranks 140 out of 180 countries assessed in terms of perceived levels of public sector corruption. This corruption is so widespread in every sector, from the business sector to the judiciary.
This corruption goes into the health sector as well, with politicians using their influence to secure contracts for medical supplies and equipment. If one wants to survive in this cut-throat society of social status wars and corporate politics, why would they focus on finding the light in education? Who has the time to find magic in science, lessons in history, respect for cultures, eloquence in languages, and solutions based on critical analysis? Not those who want to survive, at least.
The Crisis at Hand
The precarious state of our society revolving around social status diminishes the worth of education. However, there’s no room for change if we cannot admit some bitter truths.
Pakistanis Are Failing Miserably
A Pakistani student can score 100% in their Matric exams and still miserably fail at an international standard exam. According to a report by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Pakistani education system places a heavy emphasis on rote learning and memorization, which can impede critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Here are some facts that might rattle any patriotic Pakistani:
- In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which assesses the math and science skills of fourth and eighth-grade students, Pakistani students have consistently scored below the global average.
- The performance in TIMSS 2019 was dismal, with Pakistan ranking second-last, and only 1% of students meeting the high international benchmark.
- Reports note that Pakistani students cannot often apply their knowledge to real-world situations.
- According to a report by the Pakistan Education Statistics (PES), the curricula used in many schools have not been updated in decades- and this doesn’t even count the outdated, inefficient teaching methods.
These students are the future of Pakistan. They study to please their families. They pass exams with flying colors for short-lived boasting while their minds turn fallow and eventually, barren.
Destroying Lives by Withholding Life-Saving Information
It is widely believed in Pakistan that sex education is inappropriate for young students. People who hold this belief fail to realize that the students of this generation are very resourceful and can derive information from any source—or worse, naively trust manipulative and misleading sources.
However, the results shown by several studies consistently support the fact that contrary to popular belief, comprehensive sex education is associated with delayed sexual debut, reduced number of sexual partners, and increased use of contraception among young people.
- Individuals who lack comprehensive sex education may be at greater risk of sexual coercion, abuse, and violence (WHO).
- Lack of sex education contributes to female genital mutilation (FGM), early and forced marriage of underdeveloped girls, and other harmful practices (United Nations Population Fund).
- 79% of women in Pakistan are not maintaining menstrual hygiene (Real Medicine Foundation). Lack of menstrual hygiene can lead to serious health issues.
- Prevalence and health impact of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence (Journal of Adolescent Health).
- 830 women die every day from preventable pregnancy-related causes. Many of these deaths occur in countries with inadequate sex education (WHO).
- Lack of sex education can contribute to a culture of sexual violence and harassment (JAMA Pediatrics).
- Young people in countries with comprehensive sex education are less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior (Guttmacher Institute).
- Comprehensive sex education is associated with lower rates of unintended pregnancies, STIs, and HIV/AIDS (WHO).
- There is a prevalence of marital problems in Pakistan related to sex education, including sexual dissatisfaction and sexual abuse. Despite the absence of studies, if you look at women’s online forums like Soul Sisters Pakistan, they are overflowing with heartbreaking stories of marital issues due to a lack of sex education.
Pakistan faces all the issues mentioned above. In the absence of information, the youth may turn to pornography. Pakistan has been at the top of the list of global pornography viewership. The proven negative impacts of pornography are many, including addiction, desensitization, objectification of women, increased aggressive behavior, and the reinforcement of harmful gender roles and stereotypes.
Despite the lack of direct evidence linking pornography viewership with a lack of sex education, it is not a coincidence that the countries that rank at the top of the list in global pornography viewership are the ones that don’t have sex education programs in place, while those that do have those programs don’t even end up on the list.
Looking at the horrors of commonplace domestic violence, female genital mutilation, harassment, and femicides, do we still want to deprive the youth of their right to information about their own bodies so they could protect themselves and others?
Our Curriculum Keeps Us in The Dark As the World Advances
I often wonder how it makes any sense to destroy the absorbent, curious minds of bright, young students by restricting them from studying the world or analyzing it critically. Is it surprising, then, that it may lead to a restricted, subjective worldview, leading them to fail on all international standard tests? It’s more than the absence of concept-based learning. Pakistani government schools’ national curricula focus only on Pakistan’s short-lived history, and the geography restricted within Pakistan’s borders.
Since there’s no subject or teaching technique in place to teach critical thinking, is it surprising that our people could easily succumb to frauds, hoaxes, or superstitions? The absence of education has led to superstitious beliefs determining the daily life practices and decision-making of rural people in Pakistan.
By eliminating classes for world history, world geography, critical thinking, environmental protection, and human rights, we are inhibiting our children from turning into well-balanced, responsible citizens. I will advocate for the inclusion of these subjects till my last breath until someone points out the perils of seeking knowledge to enhance your intellect.
Adding fuel to the fire, people are inadvertently benefiting from this injustice. Families who belong to a higher social status can afford expensive, high-quality, private education, increasing the gap in educational inequality. Those of us who are lucky enough to find the chance to hone our skills only tend to outsource our talent to Western countries, Pakistan being the 4th largest freelancer globally.
As a writer, I can earn more by writing one article for a US company and one online class for an international student than I could earn in an entire month from an average local institution. The truth is that the people born into the Pakistani education system don’t care about my profession as a teacher and do not respect my skills as a writer.
Disrespecting a Noble Profession
It speaks volumes that the medical profession is often chosen only for status, and teaching is often chosen as a profession only as a last resort. The direct result of this disrespect for the noble profession is the majority of teachers being underpaid, underqualified, and consequently, frustrated individuals.
The shortage of qualified and trained teachers in Pakistan is over 200,000 teachers (Pakistan Education Statistics). Another direct result of the disregard for the art of teaching is the Pakistani education system not providing adequate vocational training.
According to a report by the Pakistan Education Statistics (PES), more than 20% of schools in Pakistan lack basic facilities such as electricity and running water. Seeing the lack of these necessities, it makes sense that many Pakistani schools lack adequate infrastructure, such as classrooms, libraries, and laboratories.
When I was employed as the correspondence manager for CSC Foundation and went from school to school for philanthropic purposes, still new and naïve in Pakistan, the teachers and principals told me blatantly that no one cares about them, and they won’t get the funding. I quit the job when I realized that the promised funds didn’t reach the school after all.
The Shrinking Job Market
Nothing is more infuriating than holding the solution in your hands and being unable to use it. Those who repeat the rather common phrase, “Pakistanis have a lot of potential if only they were given the opportunity” are wrong. The lack of opportunity arises because we murder the potential.
Judging by the facts I have mentioned above, how could we not be facing limited job diversity and opportunities, skill gaps, and the steady rise of the informal job market? According to the International Labor Organization, more than 72% of workers in Pakistan are engaged in informal employment, which is not regulated and does not offer the same benefits or protections as formal employment.
Denmark: A Nation Succeeding Exponentially
Let’s look at Denmark which has achieved what we have always wished to achieve: justice, social welfare, economic growth, and political stability. That is because they emphasized quality education. Denmark is known for having a highly successful education system that consistently ranks among the top in the world. The impact of this system can be seen in several ways:
- Danish students consistently perform well on international assessments of student achievement, such as the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).
- Denmark has one of the highest rates of educational attainment in the world, with over 70% of the population holding a post-secondary degree. This high level of education has helped fuel the country’s strong economy and social welfare system.
- The Danish education system places a strong emphasis on social cohesion and equity, with policies designed to ensure that all students have access to high-quality education regardless of their background.
- The Danish education system places a strong emphasis on creativity and innovation, with a focus on developing students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The Solution
Only once we admit that there’s a dire need to solve the problems discussed above, can we realize the obvious importance of following Denmark’s example:
- Proper funding.
- Respect and value for education and the teaching profession.
- Additional subjects like sex education, critical thinking, world history, and world geography.
- Concept-based and innovation-based learning.
- Adopting an international standard of education for all Pakistani citizens.
As someone who has struggled with our education system and still tried to fix it, I’ve experienced helplessness firsthand. I couldn’t get into a university as I did not qualify for an equivalence certificate by HEC due to my inadequate Urdu skills. I’ve still excelled in my career because of the skills my mother taught me. However, to introduce true education in Pakistan, we must think of those whose hearts have already been closed to the love of knowledge and understanding, and whose minds are only open to survival.
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