According to the Islamic teachings, education is the basic right of every citizen. Education and socio- economic development are interrelated. According to Economic Survey of Pakistan 2023- 24, literacy rate in Pakistan is about 62.8% . Increase in literacy is considered necessary for economic growth. Government is giving great importance to education.
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The important steps taken by the government in this regard are as follows:
Pakistan's Educational Structure
The educational structure of Pakistan is divided into three phases:
1. Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), Primary and Elementary Education:
Pre- one grade education is called Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). Primary education is from the Grade- 1 to Grade- 5, while the scope of elementary education is from the Grade- 6 to the Grade- 8. The federal and provincial governments are working to establish primary schools in every village, so that all people have access to education.
2. Secondary and Higher Secondary Education:
Secondary Education consists of 9th and 10th grade. Education in 11th and 12th classes is called higher secondary education. The higher secondary education course is two years long in which arts, science, commerce and other subjects are taught. Examinations from 9th to 12th grade are conducted by the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE).
3. University Education:
After higher secondary education, university education begins, for which there are many universities in the country. In addition to universities, higher education is also offered in colleges. There are many types of university education. This education contains BS and MS etc. In the field of higher education, research education at the level of M.Phil. and Ph.D. is also provided in each subject. Students have to enroll in medical colleges and engineering universities for medical and engineering education. There are also professional training institutes for law, business, agriculture and other technical sciences.
Educational Problems and Their Solution
Pakistan is facing following problems in education:
1. Low Literacy Rate:
According to the latest statistics, literacy is currently 62.8% , which is lower than other developing countries. It is not satisfactory. Pakistan is an important country in the world according to size of population but lacks far behind in terms of literacy.
2. Defective Examination System:
Our examination system is very defective. The exam is not meant to check the rote learning of the students, but to test their mental abilities. The examination system should be transparent and effective which can increase the mental capacity and performance of the students in real sense.
3. Limited Resources for Education:
Unfortunately, very little importance has been given to education as compared with other sectors in the country. Little sums of money are allocated for education in budget. There should be a substantial increase in this allocation to fulfill the needs of educational institutions.
4. Shortage of Teachers:
There is a wide spread complaint of shortage of teachers in educational institutions. It is very important to increase the number and professional capacity of teachers in educational institutions so that education process may function in a better way. In addition, training and skill development of teachers in accordance with modern requirements is also necessary so that they may learn modern teaching methods.