Beyond Classrooms: What’s Behind Pakistan’s Education Crises?
As part of this series, we look into the commonly held assumptions, we talk to experts, and try to bring together recommendations on how to solve such an existential threat to Pakistan’s social cohesion.
BY SHAHRUKH WANI, SPECIAL INPUT FROM NADIA NAVIWALA
Pakistan’s education crisis gets plenty of coverage, both by the media and the civil society. However, most of these analyses fail to grasp the multidimensional and complex nature of the problem. For most the easy solution is simply spending more, this thought has largely prevailed in Pakistan. Even though public education spending has increased over the past decade, but school enrollment has continued to largely stagnate nationally. This is not to argue that Pakistan shouldn’t prioritise education spending, but it should focus on how the money is being spent. Not only should policies be aimed at getting all children to school, but also remain in it, all the while making sure that they are learning the minimum skills like literacy while in the classroom. Focusing on only one of these would be meritless.
On the other hand, rising youth unemployment, which is projected to be in double digits, reflects a failure of higher education. Every year more than half a million new graduates enter the workforce in Pakistan, however many of them fail to meet the changing skills of the 21st century. This “skill gap” reflects a failure of our universities to teach the necessary analytical and problem-solving skills required by a globalising economy — in other words, failure to teach the real-world applications of classroom content. Most universities in Pakistan have failed to strike a balance between a broadly framed liberal arts curriculum and technical training. Such combination is essential to train young people to navigate a changing global economy.
As part of this series, we look into the commonly held assumptions; we talk to experts, and try to bring together recommendations on how to solve such an existential threat to Pakistan’s social cohesion. The purpose of this series is to create content targeted at young Pakistanis, who often aren’t engaged in nuanced details of public policy. In other words, we’re trying to make policy sexy for young people. We have also integrated audio and video content as part of the series. For further details about the series you can me email me at wani@cyap.org.pk
I will start the series by this quote from Woodrow Wilson Fellow Nadia Naviwala “Pakistan faces the challenge of changing what over 600,000 teachers do in more than 140,000 schools every day.”
This is how big the problem is.
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A Screenshot of Pakistan’s Education Crises
Pakistan Needs to Spend Better, Not More
In 2016, Pakistan’s government budgeted $7.5 billion on education, more than twice as much it spent in 2010. Annually, Pakistani parents spend an estimated $8 billion more on private education. That’s more than $15 billion spent on education in a year, more than the national spending on defence. This puts Pakistan’s total education spending above 4% of the GDP. So where does the money go? Most of the public budget increases have gone into hiring non-performing teachers. Even if there are more teachers, it doesn’t usually translate into quality learning for the students.
Then there is the infrastructure spending, known as “development budget,” which is a smaller part of the education budget. About half of it, on average, goes unspent by provinces every year. Hence, a majority of the spending priority is allocated at hiring people or salary hikes for existing teachers. In practical terms, this often translates into schools as a means to provide jobs, rather than to provide quality education to the students. There is a very strong political element to this, legislators are often elected on the bases of how many jobs they can provide to their constituents, and hence this takes a more pre-eminent role in budget allocation, particularly when close to the general election.
Nadia “We can’t spend our way out of the education crises.”
“We have to gotten to a point where we can get a teacher to show up in school,” but the ultimate tragedy for Nadia is what these students are learning in school, “over half of 3rd graders are illiterate,” she adds. In one such example, she points towards a public school teacher in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who has a masters degree and had gone through an expensive training programs to teach literacy but all of her students failed to identify the first letter of Pakistan in any language. “This is where the failure is.”
The irony is that private schools, on average, spend half of what the public school spends, but their students are usually two grades ahead; “it’s about whether school and teachers are accountable to parents, and in public schools, they are not.” Looking forward, for Nadia, “what you need is a trifecta: a sincere education minister with political backing from the head of his party and an education secretary who is a strong bureaucratic leader,” adding “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is seen as more successful than Punjab thanks to this recipe.”
What Do We Know About Pakistani Madrasas?
Getting the exact number of madrasas in Pakistan and the people they teach is difficult. There is a wide disparity between official numbers and the unofficial estimates of the enrolment in madrasas across Pakistan. Government figures show that total enrolment in the madrasas is 2.26 million as of 2016, of which 35% of the pupils are female. There are 32,272 madrasas nationally, up from 13,405 in 2014. The statistics also show that a staggering 97% of madrasas are operated by the private sector.
A 2005 study by Tahir Andrabi claims that the number of madrasas nationally have been over-estimated. At the same time, the study identified that the enrolment increased particularly during the Soviet-Afghan war. Regardless of the number of madrasas, what’s important is that they continue to exist in regulatory ambiguity — with many of them unregistered. The government has often little control or influence over the content of what is taught. A fundamental problem with madrasas is the lack of job skills they provide, a key disadvantage in the job market. This is particularly true for students who don’t compliment their religious education with mainstream schools.
It’s important to recognise that the mushroom growth of madrasas hasn’t occurred in a vacuum. Their growth can be credited to a failing public school system and the political scenario surrounding the Soviet–Afghan war. Another element complicating the madrasa debate has been the links of some madrasas to extremism. An estimated of 182 madrasas have been closed since the 2014 Peshawar school attack for these alleged ties. However, any sustainable solution can’t happen without an alternative system which can accommodate and integrate these students.
The students may also face discrimination while applying for jobs. As Wakil Ahmed Khan, the chairperson of the Pakistan Madrassa Education Board, told The Express Tribune “They (madrasas) have become a dumping place for the poor who cannot afford to educate and clothe their children.” Consequently, there is a dire need for more research and a pro-active approach in modernising madrasas and safeguard the future of thousands of children studying in them. These reforms should not be punitive to these students.
Private Schools Spend Less, Get Better Results
Nearly 40% of Pakistanis now attend private schools. The common misconception is that most of these schools are expensive. However, research has shown that most of these schools are low-cost — charging between $2 and $25 per month from its students.
These schools have emerged from parents’ demand for education, which public schools have been unable to meet. The interesting fact is that low-cost private schools have less qualified teachers and on average pay five times less to these teachers than their public school counterparts. However, despite this, the students at these schools are on average two grades ahead than their public school peers.
According to Nadia, citing research by LEAPS, this is because of “direct accountability relationship between the school and the parents who are paying fees, the teacher is always present and makes an effort, resulting in higher learning outcomes.” Another LEAPS study in Punjab also showed that the students from private schools also have better civic attitudes and have a lower gender bias than their public counterparts.
There are very real consequences of not going to a fee-paying private school. A 2016 Alif Ailan study showed that privately educated graduates earn far more than their public school counterparts. Whether the student has studied in an O/A level system or matric/intermediate system is also a key factor in career growth — with graduates of the former system earning far more than the later ones.
Globally, public education is acknowledged to be critical for upward social mobility, as it provides a level playing field for students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to move up the social ladder. Without critical reforms, lower middle and working class Pakistanis will remain at an unfair disadvantage. Even if most private schools charge low fees, they are not accessible to the absolute poorest, ensuring that social inequality will persist in the long run.
Understanding And Going Beyond Enrolment
There are 22.6 million boys and girls out of school nationally. That’s the second highest number of out-of-school students any where in the world. It’s important to understand that most students drop out of school by 10th grade. According to one study, out of every 100 students who enrol at school, only 28 remain enrolled in school by grade 10.
Lack of income is usually considered as the central cause of higher school dropout rate. Low income also provides more limited opportunities for students to attend even low-cost private schools. The evidence, according to a LEAPS Survey, suggests that rationing of limited resources leads to parents “picking winners” at an early age.
Early on, families tend to invest in the child that they believe is most likely to succeed. In most cases, this leads parents to send their sons to schools, instead of their daughters. This is because families perceive low returns on educating girls. Parents may also make a cost-benefit analysis of their children’s either attending school or working. Lower-income families often don’t have the economic capital to wait for the return on investment on educating their children. These factors correlate to lead to high drop out rates of students nationally.
Another factor of students dropping out of school is the wide use of corporal punishment as a popular disciplinary measure by teachers. A 2013 study by Plan Pakistan in Punjab showed that some 75% of parents and teachers agreed to some extent that teachers are justified in beating students who were rude or disobedient. An investigation conducted in 2014 as part of UNICEF programme found 81% of 1–14-year-old children in Punjab and Sindh experienced some form of violent “discipline” in the month prior to the survey. Another survey of students aged 12–17 years found that 30% of the students had been locked in the toilet by a teacher in the past six months.
These surveys show that there needs to be a comprehensive shift in attitudes of teachers and parents in relation to corporal punishment.
Change in Primary Net Enrollment Rates for 6–10 Year Olds Since 2010
During this period, only KP has seen a rise in primary school enrolment — seeing a net rise of 7%. Sindh, on the other hand, is the only province which has seen a decline in primary school enrolment. KP’s success is due to intensive monitoring and data-driven reforms introduced in the territory. Punjab has also shown political will but the lack of focus on nuanced policy is hindering considerable improvement in enrolment. The numbers from Sindh are alarming, a toxic combination of political patronage, bureaucratic ritualism and ineffective policies has seen a small, but noticeable decline in enrolment.
TCF is taking the future into its own hands
Where Did Higher Education Go Wrong?
Since the creation of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan has seen an undeniable rise in university graduates and university campuses nationally. There is no doubt that there has been a quantitative improvement in access to high education in Pakistan. As of 2016, there are 177 universities across Pakistan graduating more than half a million graduates.
However, global rankings, employee surveys and youth unemployment show a grim picture of graduates of many of these universities. This has led to many wealthier Pakistani families to send their children to foreign universities. Those without the means have too often to rely on extremely competitive foreign-funded scholarships or make the best of the sub-standard local universities.
Universities, like most things, can’t be separated from the economy. If Pakistani economy doesn’t do well, it is impossible for the country to spend fairly on research, facility and student development. For the resources Pakistan does spend, the majority is channelled through the HEC — about Rs.71 billion (about $700 million) in 2016. For comparison, that’s less than half of the budget of Lahore’s new orange train. Out of which only Rs.20 billion (or about $200 million) is to be spent on ‘development’, hence on new campuses or projects. The rest is for the non-development budget.
Beyond the spending, there is also criticism that the HEC has focused too much on achieving numbers rather than quality. Pakistani scientist Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy has claimed that the quality of research papers in Pakistan has been far below the international standards. Under HEC rules, public universities in Pakistan require a certain number of publications for promotions and salary increments, in such a system quality takes a back seat.
Most Pakistani universities are also accused of failing to teach their student’s both hard and soft skills they need to compete in an increasingly globalised world. This can be credited at the lack of relationship between universities and employers. The focus on rote learning is a key feature of most Pakistani universities, this method fails to build problem-solving skills and critical thinking of the students. In fairness, some universities have tried to build a broad liberal arts-based knowledge-based curriculum to combat this criticism. However, these universities are few in number.
The Habib University: Finding the Liberal Core
For Wasif, Education Is Misunderstood In Pakistan
For Wasif, the misfortune has been that universities in Pakistan don’t focus on bigger, deeper questions. Instead, most Pakistani universities have emerged from vocational roots — roots, which for him, they haven’t been able to segregate from. Instead, it is the critical thinking ability that is fundamental to a quality liberal education, which Wasif wants Pakistan to adopt. “It is the liberal art graduates who have the skills employers need,” adding, “liberal education gives students enormous confidence.”
“The most significant event in an education is when something you have been completely convinced about,” he adds “turns out to be completely wrong.” This is what Wasif is trying to do at Habib University though what he calls “structured intellectual reflection.” A kind of idea most Pakistani universities would be unfamiliar with. However, there are plenty of challenges, for one, the government isn’t doing enough to support private universities. “There is unnecessary hostility between state and private universities.”
Listen to Habib University President Wasif Rizvi (MEd, Harvard) talks to me about the role of liberal arts colleges in meeting Pakistan’s skill gap.
Malik Ahmad Jalal “Our Education System Is Broken At All Levels.”
At the core of the work Ahmad is doing at Aman is meeting the bulging skill gap. “We have graduated at more than 6,700 graduates in vocational training courses,” adding that “74% of graduates have been placed in jobs.” Ahmad’s frustration lies with Pakistani universities “who aren’t giving enough practical skills to their students,” adding that “most of them are degree mills.” He admits that there are few good elite universities, however, “can’t provide a mass solution.”
For Ahmad, the changing world requires applied knowledge, which most universities aren’t giving to their students. “I know graduates who admit that they don’t have the technical exposure employers need,” hence “vocational training reduces the cost for employers who can get more technical employees.” In many ways, he claims, universities have abdicated their role in youth development. However, Ahmad admits the workforce is evolving and ‘soft skills’ — which he calls life skills — will be critical. “Technical skills can get you only so far,” adding that skills like “discipline, collaboration, empathy and communications,” are critical.
Listen to Aman Foundation CEO Malik Ahmad Jalal talks to me about skill gap and the role of vocational training.
Read Our Complete Profile of Ahmad Here
Uzma Khan “We need to have quality conversations with young people.”
“In Pakistan, anybody can open a school,” she laments, “everyone asks non-profits for their impact, no one asks universities and educational institutions about what impact they have had.” For Uzma, Pakistani schools and universities focus on the number of their graduates, on how many degrees and certificates they hand out, however, “none of them talks about the quality of their alumni.” This is why most Pakistani educational institutes shy away from publishing data and successes of their alumni. “Where’s the quality?” she asks.
The problem, Uzma recognises, begins at primary school level. “We are not even talking about children who can’t go to school now,” adding, “someone also has to do something about the people in their 20s who didn’t even go to school.” Even those attending schools aren’t been trained in the right skills. “For me, education is being aware of the things, skills and possibilities which will help you survive in the real world,” she adds..
Listen to Injaz Pakistan (Member of JA Worldwide) CEO Uzma Munaf Khan talk to me about she believes education is.
You view our profile of Uzma Khan Here
Four Elements To Keep In Mind In Education
The writer is the founder of millennial.pk and the Center for Youth Activism of Pakistan. He tweets @ShahrukhWani and can be emailed at wani@cyap.org.pk
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Nadia Naviwala whose patience and help allowed us to publish this series. My sincere thanks to Mr Wasif Rizvi, Habib University, Mr Malik Ahmed Jalal, Aman Foundation, Ms Samar Hasan, Ms Uzma Khan, Injaz Pakistan and the Citizens Foundation. They all have been very supportive.
This is the first series at millennial.pk, which we’re launching to provide a platform to young Pakistanis to be a productive voice in the social, policy and political debates in the country.
