ISLAMABAD: Despite the integral role of education in a country’s development, Pakistan continues to face significant challenges in ensuring quality education for all.
To highlight the pressing issues surrounding education before the country’s political leadership ahead of the 2024 general elections, the Society for Access to Quality Education (SAQE) in collaboration with Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), and Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS), organized a roundtable in Islamabad.
Executive Director PIPS Muhammad Anwar said, “Today, we hope to set the stage for informed and focused discussions on education in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections. PIPS continues to play the role of bridge between the Parliament and the educationists, academia and members of civil society in order to strengthen public-friendly legislation and policy initiatives.”
Areebah Shahid, Executive Director PYCA, highlighting the plight of children with disabilities recommended that instead of investing in expensive special education complexes that can only cater to a very small number of students, mainstream schools need to be made inclusive and disability-friendly. Senators and political leaders from across party lines shared their views on the legal framework for education as a fundamental right in Pakistan and discussed ideas, priorities, and policies for education reforms. Former Senator Farhatullah Babar stressed the need for a nationally owned political agenda for education, “In line with the spirit of Article 25-A of the Constitution, the political parties need to come together and develop a joint charter to combat the state of education emergency confronting Pakistan.”
Senator Sana Jamali, Convener of the Senate Education Caucus, said, “There is a need for joint political ownership and responsibility to address the issue of 25 million out-of-school children. A call to action to proactively tackle this critical educational challenge is urgently needed.”