Education Denied: The Social Costs of Pakistan's Educational Crisis

Failure to provide adequate education is a major issue that impacts not only the individual but also the very structure of our society. In Pakistan, millions of children are denied the opportunity to seek knowledge and enlightenment, leaving them trapped in a cycle of poverty and ignorance.

As Allama Muhammad Iqbal so eloquently wrote in his poem "Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua" ("A Prayer on My Lips"):

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But What happens when the light of knowledge burns out, leaving only darkness and despair?

The national Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for primary education is at 76% (Pakistan Education Statistics 2021-22). However, the student completion rate remains a concern, with a decreasing trend in GER across education levels. In 2021, the primary school completion rate in Pakistan was 68.23%. The average primary school completion rate between 2005 and 2021 was 56.82%. According to the Pakistan Education Statistics 2021-22, an estimated 26.2 million children are out of school in Pakistan. The current literacy rate of Pakistan is 62.3%.

The effects of this crisis are extensive and catastrophic. As Emile Durkheim noted,

"Education is the most powerful instrument of socialization, for it shapes the very soul of the individual" (Durkheim, 1893).

But in Pakistan, the lack of investment in education reinforces the dominant social norms, perpetuating poverty, oppression and marginalization, inequality, political disempowerment, cultural stagnation, personal disillusionment, mental health issues, and social exclusion. Uneducated youth are more vulnerable to extremism, threatening social cohesion and national security. Moreover, the brain drain of talented individuals emigrating from Pakistan depletes the country's intellectual capital.

The quote from Karl Marx that strikes me as true as I learn more about this crisis is:

"The ruling ideas of each age have ever been the ideas of its ruling class" (Marx, 1867).

In Pakistan, the ruling elite's lack of investment in education supports their power and privilege, creating a cycle of oppression and marginalization. But education has the capacity to disrupt this cycle, to empower those who are marginalized, and to challenge the status quo.

As Allama Iqbal wrote in his poem "Tulu-e-Islam" ("The Rise of Islam"):

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"Make your individuality strong,

so strong that before every destiny,

God asks you, what is your desire?"

But how can we make our individuality strong when we are denied the basic right to education? How can we rise above our circumstances when we are trapped in a cycle of poverty and ignorance?

As a society, we must work together to address this challenge. We must prioritize educational institution investment, establish inclusive education policies, help those who are marginalized, and encourage critical thinking and intellectual curiosity. We must acknowledge the power of education to transform lives and societies, and work towards developing a more educated, inclusive, and harmonious society for all Pakistanis.

In the words of Allama Iqbal, "Aye watan, aye watan, hamara watan" ("Oh land, Oh land, Our land") - let us work together to build a land where every child has access to quality education, and where every individual can reach their full potential.

References:

• Durkheim, E. (1893). Education and Sociology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Marx, K. (1867). Das Kapital. Hamburg: Otto Meissner.
• Pakistan Education Statistics (2021-22). Islamabad: Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.