Education in Pakistan

Balochistan also has the lowest literacy rates (44% for 10-year-olds and older) in the country. The government of Balochistan has shown commitment to addressing the various challenges that exist in the sector.

Between 2009-2010 and 2019-2020 the education budget increased five-fold. However, despite this increased spending, learning outcomes have not improved. Issues pertaining to weak governance and limited management capacity within the education system present challenges to translating increased spending into better learning outcomes.

The Education Sector Plan 2020-2025 focuses on 2 policy priorities: learning, and access and participation.

To achieve these priorities, two critical enablers have been identified:

1. Improved governance and management framework
2. Improved data and research.

To achieve the policy priorities and improve education delivery, the BESP notes the importance of 4 cross-cutting areas: standards; capacity; gender inclusiveness; partnerships with non-governmental actors.

Transforming education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Since 2015, education reforms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have led to an increase in student attendance, improved teacher attendance, and the recruitment of over 40,000 teachers.

Yet despite this progress, high numbers of children remain out of school, and those that do attend school struggle to gain basic literacy and numeracy skills and experience high dropout rates. While all children encounter these challenges, girls are disproportionately affected.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has committed to making gender equity a key priority and ensuring a gendered approach to education reform. The Education Sector Plan 2020-2025 outlines 3 goals for education reform, coupled with numerous objectives to help achieve them:

1. Ensure access to inclusive and equitable education and lifelong learning opportunities for all children, youth and adults
2. Deliver quality and relevant education for all to nurture productive citizens
3. Provide effective leadership, responsive governance and efficient management at all levels to achieve educational goals

Transforming education in Punjab

Over the past two decades, Punjab has increased enrollment and narrowed the gender gap in education access, but low learning levels persist: 65% of children aged 10 are unable to read and understand a simple text.

Punjab is working with GPE and other partners to improve learning outcomes through provision of literacy and numeracy and skills at the pre-primary and primary levels and remedial learning at middle levels with a special focus on girls and out-of-school children.

As outlined in Punjab’s Partnership Compact, achieving the priority reform includes supporting school readiness through investments in early childhood education.

Reforms in content, learning assessments and teacher training aim to develop literacy and numeracy skills at the primary level. Remedial learning for students in grades 6 to 8 will help address learning gaps, and non-formal learning opportunities will equip out-of-school children with the skills needed to enter school.

Measures to make the education system more inclusive include establishing gender-inclusive teaching and learning processes and better identifying and supporting the learning needs of children with disabilities.

Transforming education in Sindh

Sindh’s primary net enrollment is at 55% and secondary is at 22%. The province is estimated to have the second-highest proportion of out-of-school children in the country at over 30%.

Disparities in access to education by gender, disability, income, and geographic location call for transformative change. Sindh is working with GPE and other partners towards equitable access to quality learning at primary level and creating an enabling environment for transition.

As outlined in Sindh’s Partnership Compact this two-pronged approach addresses immediate access needs while laying the foundation for learning.

Measures to improve access include increasing school infrastructure, expanding non-formal education programs for out-of-school children, and engaging communities to help address barriers to education.

Measures to boost education quality include improving teaching and learning materials, strengthening teacher training and school leadership, and ensuring student assessments inform teaching practices.

A focus on gender, policy advocacy and capacity building aims to ensure gender-sensitive planning and programming that contribute to a more equitable system.