https://sputniknews.in/20231130/pakistans-silent-crisis-the-alarming-rise-of-learning-poverty-5652518.html
Pakistan's Silent Crisis: The Alarming Rise of Learning Poverty
Pakistan's Silent Crisis: The Alarming Rise of Learning Poverty
Sputnik India
Pakistan is confronting a learning crisis: according to the 2021 Annual Status of Education Report, it has a learning poverty rate of 77%, which means that most kids cannot read and understand simple text by the time they are 10.
2023-11-30T17:19+0530
2023-11-30T17:19+0530
2023-12-06T13:40+0530
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“We have schools, we have students, we have teachers, but we do not have quality education," Nadia Naviwala, an education activist said to print media.What is more tragic - children being out of school or children who attend school but remain illiterate?This question highlights the severity of Pakistan's learning crisis. Despite the country having schools, textbooks, funds, aids, and teachers with high salaries, Pakistan is still struggling to provide quality education. However, the increase in the number of children attending school has not yet translated into improved literacy rates and learning outcomes.Moreover, he said, "The lack of a strong monitoring and supervision framework has allowed administrators, and managers to keep being incompetent and not committed, which has caused educational standards to drop."What Actually Learning Poverty Means?According to the World Bank, learning poverty means being unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10. Children who are enrolled in schools between the ages of 8 and 10 years old and still do not know how to read, write, and understand very simple things in the textbooksIn this regard, Dr Sabir shared with Sputnik, "Nearly 80% children under 10 struggle with basic literacy and numeracy skills. This systemic failure thwarts nurturing analytical faculties for civic participation, creative expression, entrepreneurship or scientific enquiry urgently needed in a complex, technologically-transforming world."Unveiling Official StatisticsReports in the media say that even though Pakistan spends 12 percent of its budget on education, there has been no progress in making sure that children get a quality education or acquire the creative abilities .There are still a lot of kids in government schools and rural parts of Balochistan, Ex-FATA, and Sindh who cannot even read and comprehend a simple sentence in Urdu or in their own native language. The comprehension matter of English, science, and math is a far cry. Irony is that the education system, especially in backward areas of countries like Balochistan and Ex-FATA, portrays a gloomy picture in the field of quality education and learning capability, as per the Pakistan Education Statistics survey 2022.Additionally, if we talk about all regions of the country, government statistics unveil that only 51% of students can solve a two-digit math problem. Nonetheless, in this regard, the province of Punjab is progressing by leaps and bounds compared to other provinces of Pakistan due to high investment in the education sector, check and balance policies, quality teacher training availability, and high technology in the education sector given and provided by the government and international organizations. The province of Punjab is privileged and developed as compared to the rest of the country, according to a World Bank report 2021.The most impoverished communities are the ones most affected by this curse, with learning poverty being highest there. According to the 2022 annual education reports, children who belong to poor socio-economic background are more likely to not be in school, especially in rural areas of Balochistan and Ex-FATA. In this way, Pakistan's backward areas are not only confronting school drop out, out of school and unenrollment issues, but also they are facing learning problem, and lack of accessibility of Qaulity educaction in their regions.The "learning crisis" in Pakistan is a serious issue that will affect the country's growth in many ways. The net participation rate at the primary level is 57%, according to the Pakistan Education Statistics 2019-20 report. The literacy rate for people aged 10 and up is 63%. The numbers show that there is a big difference between the number of kids who are registered for school and the number of kids who are actually learning.Still, learning poverty at the primary level has become such a big problem that it led many education experts and important people in the field to meet at the Pakistan Learning Conference in June of this year. The people who took part wanted to come up with a nationwide plan to close the gap between ages and learning levels as soon as possible.Root causes of learning Poverty in PakistanThere are various responsible factors which are fabricating the environment of learning crisis in Pakistan like lack of check and balance, teachers trainings, paucity of modern technology, out-dated curriculum and poverty.Another place he said, "The deficiencies in leadership, pedagogy, and material within the educational system manifest in ways that undermine students' self-assurance and hinder their capacity for critical thinking, therefore betraying their innate capabilities. The educational settings have been tainted by an exam-oriented teaching approach, which promotes rote learning and adherence to rules rather than fostering critical thinking and natural curiosity. Additionally, this approach fails to acknowledge real-life experiences and gives more importance to English language proficiency over native languages."Impact of Learning Poverty on Nation's GrowthThe impact of learning poverty on the nation's growth cannot be overstated. The consequences of this crisis are far-reaching and have the potential to stifle the nation's growth.Learning poverty lies at the heart of all other issues in Pakistan, whether political, Social or economic and while it may be slow brewing and often silent, it is potentially fatal for the nation’s growth in the end.Firstly, illiteracy limits economic growth, creates bottleneck to the culture of invention, discovery and creativity among nations. In today's world, knowledge is power, and countries that invest in quality education reap the rewards in the shape of innovation, discoveries and inventions. Moreover, education is one of the most critical drivers of economic growth and development. However, in Pakistan, the high rate of learning poverty means that many children are unable to acquire the necessary skills to contribute to the country's socio-political, economic and technological spheres fully. Degree with zero creativity, IQ capability, and innovative minds is considered as a paper.Learning poverty has far-reaching social consequences. Children who are unable to read and write are more likely to drop out of school, become unemployed, and engage in criminal activities. This not only affects their lives but also has a broader impact on society.Today we observe that Pakistan is lagging behind all global indexes; it is either Quality Education ratio, literacy rate, Global Creativity index, or Global learning reports.Dr. Nadia Ali further told Sputnik news, ""Technology is very important to today's youth; they can't live without it." The old way of teaching with textbooks is boring and doesn't appeal to students, which makes it hard for schools to compete. To help kids do better in school, the curriculum and school system need to change with the times of technological change."Moreover, Pakistan has world’s weakest higher education system, according to QS rankings, but the rise in funding – mainly spent on salary boosts for teachers – has had little effect. In the country especially Sindh, KPK and Balochistan, standardized test scores of fifth and sixth graders, or children aged 10 and 11, showed zero improvement since a decade.Building children’s foundational learning today will help us nurture a citizenry equipped with the knowledge, critical thinking, and awareness needed to tackle adversities in the future.
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Pakistan's Silent Crisis: The Alarming Rise of Learning Poverty
17:19 30.11.2023 (Updated: 13:40 06.12.2023) Pakistan is confronting a learning crisis; according to the 2021 Annual Status of Education Report, it has a learning poverty rate of 77%, which means that most of kids cannot read and understand simple text by the time they are 10 years age.
“We have schools, we have students, we have teachers, but we do not have quality education," Nadia Naviwala, an education activist said to print media.
What is more tragic - children being out of school or children who attend school but remain illiterate?
This question highlights the severity of Pakistan's learning crisis. Despite the country having schools, textbooks, funds, aids, and teachers with high salaries, Pakistan is still struggling to provide quality education. However, the increase in the number of children attending school has not yet translated into improved literacy rates and learning outcomes.
In this context, Professor, Dr. Noor Mohammad, Dean of Education department Lasbela University, Researcher and Educationalist, told Sputnik, "The education system of Pakistan is plagued by teachers' low professional profile and commitment, obstructing the overall quality of education provided to students."
Moreover, he said, "The lack of a strong monitoring and supervision framework has allowed administrators, and managers to keep being incompetent and not committed, which has caused educational standards to drop."
Professor Dr. Imran Sabir, an educationalist, reseacher, columnist and social analyst, told Sputnik, "Pakistan faces a profound yet overlooked learning crisis betraying generations of children and severely handicapping national growth trajectories. Despite sizeable investments in inputs - schools, teachers, curriculum revisions and rising enrollments - learning outcomes remain abysmal over decades."
What Actually Learning Poverty Means?
According to the World Bank, learning poverty means being unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10. Children who are enrolled in schools between the ages of 8 and 10 years old and still do not know how to read, write, and understand very simple things in the textbooks
It has been said, “Great teachers can teach in a tent." Although a school might have wonderful facilities, if teachers are aloof, disinterested, focusing on the enrollment of students only, busy getting high salaries, or more concerned about the school’s rankings than your child’s development, your child’s education can suffer.
In this regard, Dr Sabir shared with Sputnik, "Nearly 80% children under 10 struggle with basic literacy and numeracy skills. This systemic failure thwarts nurturing analytical faculties for civic participation, creative expression, entrepreneurship or scientific enquiry urgently needed in a complex, technologically-transforming world."
Unveiling Official Statistics
Reports in the media say that even though Pakistan spends 12 percent of its budget on education, there has been no progress in making sure that children get a quality education or acquire the creative abilities .
According to the Annual Status of Education Report 2022, Pakistan has problems with "ghost schools," teachers who don't show up to work, and corruption in the education sector. On the other hand, children under the age of 10 in Pakistan have different learning problems.
There are still a lot of kids in government schools and rural parts of Balochistan, Ex-FATA, and Sindh who cannot even read and comprehend a simple sentence in Urdu or in their own native language. The comprehension matter of English, science, and math is a far cry. Irony is that the education system, especially in backward areas of countries like Balochistan and Ex-FATA, portrays a gloomy picture in the field of quality education and learning capability, as per the Pakistan Education Statistics survey 2022.
Additionally, if we talk about all regions of the country, government statistics unveil that only 51% of students can solve a two-digit math problem. Nonetheless, in this regard, the province of Punjab is progressing by leaps and bounds compared to other provinces of Pakistan due to high investment in the education sector, check and balance policies, quality teacher training availability, and high technology in the education sector given and provided by the government and international organizations. The province of Punjab is privileged and developed as compared to the rest of the country, according to a
World Bank report 2021.
The most impoverished communities are the ones most affected by this curse, with learning poverty being highest there. According to the 2022 annual education reports, children who belong to poor socio-economic background are more likely to not be in school,
especially in rural areas of Balochistan and Ex-FATA. In this way, Pakistan's backward areas are not only confronting school drop out, out of school and unenrollment issues, but also they are facing learning problem, and lack of accessibility of Qaulity educaction in their regions.
The "learning crisis" in Pakistan is a serious issue that will affect the country's growth in many ways. The net participation rate at the primary level is 57%, according to the Pakistan Education Statistics 2019-20 report. The literacy rate for people aged 10 and up is 63%. The numbers show that there is a big difference between the number of kids who are registered for school and the number of kids who are actually learning.
The government is trying to get more kids to go to school, but the level of education is still a big problem. An education advocacy group called Alif Ailaan 2022 said in a report that "22.6 million children in Pakistan are not in school, and those who do attend school are not receiving a quality education." For kids, this means that they are going to school but not learning as much as they should.
Still, learning poverty at the primary level has become such a big problem that it led many education experts and important people in the field to meet at the Pakistan Learning Conference in June of this year. The people who took part wanted to come up with a nationwide plan to close the gap between ages and learning levels as soon as possible.
Root causes of learning Poverty in Pakistan
There are various responsible factors which are fabricating the environment of learning crisis in Pakistan like lack of check and balance, teachers trainings, paucity of modern technology, out-dated curriculum and poverty.
Professor Dr. Sabir told Sputnik, in this context, "The learning crisis in Pakistan stems from disjointed engagements, governance failures, exclusionary hierarchies, and academic ritualism, hindering equitable learning excellence, lack of modern technology in education system, and critical skills development."
Another place he said, "The deficiencies in leadership, pedagogy, and material within the educational system manifest in ways that undermine students' self-assurance and hinder their capacity for critical thinking, therefore betraying their innate capabilities. The educational settings have been tainted by an exam-oriented teaching approach, which promotes rote learning and adherence to rules rather than fostering critical thinking and natural curiosity. Additionally, this approach fails to acknowledge real-life experiences and gives more importance to English language proficiency over native languages."
Dr. Nadia Ali, an educationalist, Researcher, and lecturer at University of Balochistan, told sputnik, "Technology is very important to today's youth; they can't live without it." The traditional textbook method of instruction is disliked by students, making it difficult for institutions to remain competitive. To improve students' academic performance, schools must modify their curricula and operational procedures to incorporate new technologies."
Impact of Learning Poverty on Nation's Growth
The impact of learning poverty on the nation's growth cannot be overstated. The consequences of this crisis are far-reaching and have the potential to stifle the nation's growth.
Learning poverty lies at the heart of all other issues in Pakistan, whether political, Social or economic and while it may be slow brewing and often silent, it is potentially fatal for the nation’s growth in the end.
Firstly, illiteracy limits economic growth, creates bottleneck to the culture of invention, discovery and creativity among nations. In today's world, knowledge is power, and countries that invest in quality education reap the rewards in the shape of innovation, discoveries and inventions. Moreover, education is one of the most critical drivers of economic growth and development. However, in Pakistan, the high rate of learning poverty means that many children are unable to acquire the necessary skills to contribute to the country's socio-political, economic and technological spheres fully. Degree with zero creativity, IQ capability, and innovative minds is considered as a paper.
Learning poverty has far-reaching social consequences. Children who are unable to read and write are more likely to drop out of school, become unemployed, and engage in criminal activities. This not only affects their lives but also has a broader impact on society.
Dr Imran Sabir told Sputnik News, "The deficiencies in the school system's management culture, and curriculum impede children's ability to express themselves, think critically, and be creative, thereby undermining economic competitiveness and scientific advancement. This systematic treachery has significantly hindered the development of national paths for many decades.
Today we observe that Pakistan is lagging behind all global indexes; it is either Quality Education ratio, literacy rate, Global Creativity index, or Global learning reports.
Dr. Nadia Ali further told Sputnik news, ""Technology is very important to today's youth; they can't live without it." The old way of teaching with textbooks is boring and doesn't appeal to students, which makes it hard for schools to compete. To help kids do better in school, the curriculum and school system need to change with the times of technological change."
Moreover, Dr Nadia Ali remarked, ""The medium of instruction in Baluchistan poses a significant challenge, hindering academic learning for many students. There is a clear need to shift towards local languages as the medium of instruction to ensure students can fully comprehend and engage with the educational material. Additionally, the inadequacy of the existing examination system must be addressed to establish validity and reliability, as exam questions often bear no relevance to curriculum objectives."
Moreover, Pakistan has
world’s weakest higher education system, according to QS rankings, but the rise in funding – mainly spent on salary boosts for teachers – has had little effect. In the country especially Sindh, KPK and Balochistan, standardized test scores of fifth and sixth graders, or children aged 10 and 11, showed zero improvement since a decade.
Building children’s foundational learning today will help us nurture a citizenry equipped with the knowledge, critical thinking, and awareness needed to tackle adversities in the future.
Attending school without acquiring basic reading skills is like being in a room full of books but unable to read any of them. It deprives children of the opportunity to fully benefit from education and limits their future prospects.
