Education in Pakistan: Fifty Years of Neglect

“You know that importance of education and the right type cannot be over-emphasised…. It” we are to make real, speedy and substantial progress. We must earnestly tackle this question … having regard to the modern conditions and vast developments that have taken place all over the world”. Quaid-i-Azam Pakistan was created in the name of Islam under the outstanding leadership of Quaid-i-Azam. The Quran placed great emphasis on education. The Quaid as quoted above also highlighted its importance for the new nation. Unfortunately, despite high and repeated rhetoric, education remained the most neglected aspect of national life during the last half century. The literacy level are low, the female literacy levels are among the lowest in the world and the lowest in the Muslim countries. The emphasis in education is still on a general and liberal type of B.A. or M.A. degree. The change towards scientific and technical education has still not taken place. The quality of education is low; the teachers are under-paid, under-trained and dispirited. The students are apathetic as they see no relationship between education and higher earnings or status in the society.