Main page on articles related to educational policy: [link]
has links to following articles which make a detailed caseL
Education in Pakistam: a Case study by Maulvi Jahangir Mahmood
Atiyab Sultan: The Mirror and the Lamp: (Destruction of Colonial Educational Systems by the British)
Ghulam Samad: <ghulamsamad@hotmail.com> Collect data on Pakistan Education Budgets and Analyze
Atif Maqbool Khan <eemaan313@yahoo.com>
I am trying to attract your attention to the neglect of most important sector of education by the policy makers in Pakistan. For the last few years, under the influence of feudal Parliamentarians and bureaucrats, the Federal Govt. is increasingly according priority to the educational institutions for the children of elite classes, instead of primary education for the ordinary people. In the Federal Govt. budget (2009-10) announced on 13 June, there is:
1. 1. 80% increase in financial allocations for new cadet colleges, from Rs. 815 million during 2008-09 budget for 16 new cadet colleges to Rs. 1464 Million (Rs. 1.46 Billion) for 23 new cadet colleges in the proposed budget for 2009-10.
2. 2. 98% reduction in the budget to be provided to the provinces (under Education Sector Reforms-ESR) for adult education of illiterate Pakistanis. There are over 50 million illiterates in Pakistan, majority of them are women. Horse trading in the parliament and political instability in the country stem from exploitation of ignorant masses, as about 70% voters in rural areas can not read and write, and they do not know about activities and policies of their representatives. Look at attachment [literacy budget] below: really shocking.
Social inequalities in Pakistani society can not be eliminated unless all children and youth are provided equal opportunities of education. At present, 70% Govt. primary schools in Pakistan have only two room buildings for 5 classes. Do we need new cadet colleges in each district, or investment on primary education of children from poor families? Why the cadet colleges can’t be built and run by private sector, if these are really needed by certain group or class.
A write up on analysis of education budget is attached. List of new cadet colleges is also attached. Scanned copy of relevant page of Budget (2009-10), showing 98% cut in adult literacy budget for provinces is also attached. Pakistan is spending lowest ratio of GDP on education, compared with its other neighboring countries in South-West Asia.