B.Ed.

ECCE PROGRAMME

Course Code: BEC 523 Subject: Education in Pakistan

Credit Hours: 3 Facilitator: Saima Syed

Issues and Problems of Pakistan Education system

These are the most dominant issues and problems of our Education System which needs to be
addressed and to find remedial solutions for these issues and put forward recommendations for
the positive change in our prevalent Education System.

1- Lack of uniformity
The Education System is not Uniform and is based on differentiated Education System like
Public Institutions, Private Institutions and Deeni Madaris. There has been accelerated
polarization in the Education System due to divisive Pakistani Education System. This has
penetrated into cultural veins of the Nation. The recent waves of Sectarianism and Terrorism are
the consequences of this divisible system. Polarized Education System has further divided
society on political, economic and social grounds instead of uniting people. This division is
leading towards further segregation on linguistic and religious levels and cutting knee deep the
ideological foundation of the Nation.

2- Education without direction

A sound Education System is essential for every nation of the world. All nations develop their
people or human resources on the basis of rigorous focus on Education and Training. We have
poor and direction less education system with lack of cohesion and more prone towards general
education without creation of Skillful man power resulting into massive unemployment. It also
results into massive political, social, economic and cultural distress among people. There is no
use of science and technology in the education system. Students are unable to develop critical
thinking, creativity, imagination, reasoning, experimentation, innovation and invention

3- Outdated curriculum
We are still following the old fashioned and outdated Education System of rote memorization,
cramming the facts and figures without realizing the holistic development of individuals. The
objective of Education should be development of psychological, philosophical and sociological
foundations of Education. The present curriculum is not motivating learners for practical
research and development, scientific knowledge and reflective observation.

4- Lack of professional development of teachers

There are few training institutes but have lack of funds, lack of resourceful and trained trainers
and administers. There are no defined standards of training and development. The courses and
trainings are outdated, traditional without exposure to modern technology, motivation, quality of
teachers and enhancement of skills.

5- Lack of quality teacher

According to UNESCO report, the quality of educational institutions and teacher is low. The
situation is grimmer in remote parts of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan where there is non availability
of teachers. Teachers are not using new methods of teaching and learning, no lesson planning,
old method of cramming, no research, no use of libraries or internet, no book reading. Students
are promoted to next class on the basis of cramming and memorization of facts and figures
without knowledge in depth, no conceptualization, no understanding of topics in the books
without relevance in schools.

6- Alarming dropouts
Lack of management and discipline in schools leads many students to drop out from school. This
trend is due to punishment in schools, poor parenting, lack of motivation, unattractive school
environment, child labor & poverty are also very significant reasons of huge drop out from
schools, colleges and universities. It shows that almost 30% of children enrolled in primary
education. This trend has added to low literacy rate in Pakistan.

7- Examination system
Students are evaluated on the basis of annual exams, semester wise assessments. Both
quantitative and qualitative exams should be introduced to judge the performance of students on
comprehensive level and exams should evaluate the student’s ability through various types of
reliable assessments like case studies, research papers, MCQs, Comprehensive subjective
questions, Analytical questions to check the conceptual understanding of students especially in
higher classes (Rehman, 2011).

In Pakistan examination system is faulty and it tests only the memory of students, there is use of
unfair means, bribery, cheating, issuance of duplicate marks sheets, changes of marks, change of
answer sheets, impersonation. This present examination system has promoted rote memorization
and cramming. It has badly failed in producing critical thinking, analytical skills, learning,
intellectual power and visionary reflection in the students at all levels of education. It does not
measure the strength, achievements and performance of students (Quereshi, 1975).

Modular system of examination in Medical Universities is producing incompetent students with

insufficient knowledge of Anatomy which is the backbone of medicine studies. In modular
system a single paper for three subjects is given to students. Students prepare easy subjects to
pass the exam and leave the difficult and important subject of Anatomy for choice. Therefore,
this method has tarnished the strong foundations of learning and performing badly. Doctors
produced with such type of examination with lack of proper understanding of subject will not be
able to serve the humanity honestly and do the justice with their profession.

In our education system educational institutions are used as breeding grounds for political parties
and in colleges and universities these groups nurture. Students get benefits by being part of any
political party during exams. A list of students is provided to the teacher by the student leader to
pass them in the exam, admissions are given on the party basis, exams are marked and checked
on party basis because mostly teachers are also working for parties while sitting in educational
institutions. During Board or University exam by giving money to the invigilator, students are
allowed to cheat in the exam, Students throw question paper outside the window and one of the
party rep climbs up the tree near the window with Megaphone and starts dictating answers by
calling up question numbers. Honest Teachers are threatened and sometimes gunned and killed in
case they are not willing to listen to the unfair demands of the students of different parties.

Some of the teachers are also involved in malpractices. They leak the paper by charging
handsome amounts or solve the papers for students or allow students to solve the papers by
cheating from books, material or from some good student. In board exams, before submission of
sheets to the board office representative student is asked to write down correct answers. Teachers
are themselves involved in such political activities and award “F” grade to students who are not
in their party.

In Russia there is no exam system like ours. Students study throughout the year and at the end of
year teacher can ask any question from the book to pass the candidate and check his
understanding & knowledge of the subject.

8- Poor supervision standards

To monitor teaching and learning, poor and harsh standards of evaluation and punishment are
used which in some case leads to termination of jobs. At primary school level teacher’s
evaluation is not possible. Secondary Schools/Cambridge Schools are evaluated through Board
exam results/CAIE results. In college, again Board or University exam results are the criteria to
judge the academic performance of Student and Teacher’s teaching. Whereas actually there is an
increase in tuitions instead of relying on School or College teaching. Students and their parents
are compelled to go for tuitions due pressure of good grades and admissions in good educational
institutions. There are many tuition centres, coaching centers, academies where the same
teachers who were unable to impart quality education give quality tuitions by charging heavy
amounts and prepare students well to score good grades. The low salaries demotivate them in
their institutions to impart good education. In Universities students are given power to evaluate
teaching and their grading becomes part of an Annual Evaluation Report which is essential for
promotion or benefit of the faculty. This system is again polluted by involvement of computer
department staff, Student coordinators and by bribing students to give bad remarks about any
teacher. Some insincere and corrupt teachers mark students’ attendance and give them good
marks, tell them questions of exams and do immoral activities to get good evaluation from
students. Teachers who are honest and hard working are ranked low by students. Even at higher
education institutions there is lobbying and politics through which false evaluation against any
faculty can be prepared to get rid of the unwanted faculty by the management. So, in short,
supervision system is more prone to harassment and control over the teaching staff rather than
providing proper guideline and training for the improvement of teaching methodologies &
strategies. (Rehman, 2011).

9- Internal and external influence

In Education sector external factors are coming outside the system through politicians and they
bring changes in the system to give favor to their families, relatives, friends etc. Internal factors
are bureaucratic manipulations (Mazhar, 2011).

There is great favoritism and Nepotism in cases of transfers, Appointments, Promotions,

Salaries, Grades & Workstations. Due to this the basic Infrastructure of the Education System in
Pakistan has been badly affected (LOUIS, 1987).

10- Lack of resources

There are not proper Libraries with physical space for Students to Study. Books are not available,
No digital libraries, no computer Facility in the library especially in public sector colleges &
universities. No proper lighting, no AC, no Generators in case of power break down are available
to make studies more comfortable for the desirous and ambitious students. Classrooms are over-
crowded, corridors are flooded with students, Inadequate and Inefficient teachers, Laboratories
without required apparatus & equipment of practical learning have resulted into a situation of
despair and low standard of Education (Louis, 1987).

11- Lack of policy implementation

Frequent political turmoil and change of governments have made policy implementation in its
true letter and spirit impossible. Corruption, Lack of Resources, Lack of teacher’s involvement in
policies and inconsistency in successive planning on the part of various political regimes in
Pakistan. Teachers are ignored while designing Education policies which has led to alienation
between teachers and the system of Education (Zaki, 1989).

12- Low budgetary allocation for education

Education system in Pakistan has been crippled mainly due allocation of scarce financial
resources in budget. The Education Budget which is definitely not sufficient to fulfill the
growing needs of population and involvement of modern technology in the education system,
low salaries, high taxation are also hindering the growth of this sector. Taxes are even imposed
on the hourly payment of visiting faculty at the rate of ten percent from filers and twenty percent
from non-filers which is really unjustified and reduces the meagre earning.

In many countries like Bangladesh & Sri Lanka the Education share in total budget of the
country is increasing but in Pakistan it is continuously declining (Sayan, 2012).

13- Corruption
Corruption is another factor responsible for deterioration of the Education System, use of unfair
means, nepotism, favors in transfer, promotion and appointments and decision making, misuse of
funds, use of illegal authority by the school management, Gender based exploitation and
harassment are the subsidiaries of corruption.

14- Lack of faculty training and development

Educational institutions do not spend available funds on the training and development of
teachers. They are neither sent to attend the workshops, courses, seminars or conferences to
groom themselves and learn the modern techniques and methodologies of teaching. Here again
only few favorite teachers are selected for these trainings and most of the teachers remain
deprived of any opportunity to groom their teaching skills.

15- Non- availability of public transport/ parking/traffic congestion

Most of the private schools are located in residential areas usually in bungalows to avoid taxes.
Here the big issue is non-availability of public transport, parking and traffic congestion on daily
basis. This makes both students and teachers tired and stressed because of wastage of lots of time
of travelling to and from school to home. This unnecessary delay in timings also affects the
quality of education. Mostly schools do not provide their conveyance to students, teachers and
staff but ask them to avail transport of the companies with which the senior management set
commission.

16- Opening up of large nuber of private schools

There is opening up of various private schools with a shift from Matric system to O & A level
with Up-to-date modern technologies. They have comparatively better infrastructure, spacious
class rooms, low strengths of class, more trained teachers, with proper sanitary conditions,
counselors, doctors, psychologist, its teachers, sports teacher, swimming pools, etc. Creativity of
students is enhanced through various activities. These facilities are missing in public schools so
parents prefer to send their children to nearby private schools.

17- Politics in education

Different political parties prepare their representatives amongst students. Different teachers also
involve them in this exercise as party members. These teacher in exchange of this get favors and
benefits from parties by helping their students in getting admissions, provision of question
papers, awarding of good grades as per list provided by the party.

18- Compulsion to purchase stationery, syllabus, uniforms and other items from school
shop
School management compels parents to purchase the required stationery, syllabus, uniforms and
all other required study material from their own school’s shop where the rates are too high as
compared to the open market. This puts burden on the finances of the family and parents have to
change the school or leave the school. The school charge fess for 3 moths and invest this amount
in different profit schemes to earn interest on it.

During COVID-19 pandemic when due lock down schools were closed and even online classes
were not in practice, school charged full fee from the students and parents had no option except
listening to the management and doing as they demand to keep admission of their child locked
and secured.

19- Entry tests, coaching and paper out

All the admissions have been linked with admission test in more or less all institutions making
the credibility of different schools, boards, colleges and universities doubtful just to give benefits
to the students who are non-deserving and not coming on merit with their results. Every year we
hear about MCAT test, usually tests are postponed or test paper is out and re-exam is arranged
and many of the students with good grades are pushed out of the admission list. The private
colleges have their own test criteria and select students as per their own policies and even charge
fees as per their own policies. Most of the deserving, hard working students due to the demand of
heavy fees are forced to move towards some other institution. Every year PMDC is dissolved.
For these entry tests students join academies, tuition centres and coaching centre and pay high
charges to prepare for admission in all these high ranked Engineering and Medical institutes.

These admission tests are introduced to favor their own families, relatives, friends or workers of
the political parties to strengthen their vote bank in their constituency.

These tests are fake, their results are fake, the merit lists displayed are fake. In this way many
deserving students do not get chance to pursue education of their own choice.

20- Theoretical knowledge inplace of practical learning

Students are given only bookish theoretical knowledge instead of practical knowledge. Most of
the students even after getting degrees do not meet the requirement of jobs and are unable to be
absorbed in the working population. Students should be sent at least for one semester in
organizations before their graduation so that they may become acquainted with the office
environment and familiar with the working of different reputable organizations. Activities, Role
plays, Case Studies, Worksheets, Research Projects, Seminars, Symposiums, Lecture Series,
Events should be organized for the students with their hundred percent involvement so the
students not only own the activity but get an opportunity to meet influential people from big
companies of reputable brands.

21- Lack of liaison between industry and educational institutions

Mostly universities have no liaison with industries and therefore their students face problems at
the time of induction. Universities should invite industrialists to teach courses especially in the
last two semester of their studies so that students can learn about the ins and outs of the industrial
workings and may get a chance of absorption in the industry as employees.

22- Non-participatory in nation building

Education Sector is not playing any role in Nation Building. Our Education System is producing
students with mindset that only foreign countries are providing good education and to get good
job it is necessary to become foreign graduates. Mostly Students lack patriotism, civic sense,
loyalty and love for their homeland and people living here and treat them as inferior to the
foreign world. So being Status conscious and due ostentatious effect our crème has moved
abroad for higher education. On the other hand, students who get them enrolled here in Pakistan
after getting degrees and job search find it best to move abroad for higher studies, job and career
growth. Once they get job, they prefer to stay there on permanent basis and become citizens of
that country with dual nationality status. Our best youth has settled in European Countries, USA,
UK, Canada, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, Malaysia, South Africa and Gulf Region and
rendering their best services and earning handsome salaries and maintaining luxury life styles in
those countries without any fear of security, terrorist attacks, bomb blasts, sectarian riots, traffic
congestions, pollution, Smog, energy Shortage etc. By being there they feel satisfied and happy.
They do not send any remittances here instead they are calling up their families, relatives and
friends to come and transfer their assets to those countries making Pakistan’s economy weaker
with this outflow of resources. Our Doctors, Engineers, Architects, Retired Army Officers,
Bankers, health workers paramedical staff, skilled labor, business graduates, pilots, Air men, Air
Technicians, Aircraft Engineers, Educationists, Insurance Agents, Scientists and Researcher have
moved to Western countries and are not willing to come back or serve the Nation.

23- Pupil teacher, pupil school and teacher school ratio

These ratios are very important. If there are more peoples in one class then teacher cannot give
individual attention to students. Weak students are neglected and gap between strong and weak
students widens. If pupil school ratio increases then infrastructure does not accommodate the
increased number of students and in place of two students, three or four students are asked to sit.
Other facilities like availability of labs, computers, access to canteens, sports items, playgrounds,
washrooms etc. become less for the large number of people. If schools have low number of
teachers hirings then work load for one teacher is overburdened and individual attention, mood,
behavior, marking of copies/assignments or imparting of quality education is disturbed. The ideal
class size is 30 students at most for one teacher but in our universities sometimes more than 100
students are accommodated in one class.

24- Non-availability of electricity

Load shedding and energy crisis in the country has devastatingly ruined the quality of education.
In summer when the weather is hot and humid, then in the class of 68-70 students when teacher
has very limited space to move, then there is suffocation, lack of oxygen, smell of sweat and loss
of student’s attention in studies. This is a source of big demotivation for students and teachers
and they want to leave.

25- Non-availability of drinking and washing water in toilets

In most of the schools clean drinking water is not available. Mostly the washrooms are not
cleaned on regular basis so health hazards are faced by the students and teachers especially
female students suffer a lot because of this. Mostly, schools’ students suffer from cholera,
diarrhea, typhoid etc.

26- Non-availability of boundary wall

There are many schools in villages, towns and even cities where schools are working without
boundary walls, which has become a security hazard.

27- Terrorist attacks and child killing

Terrorist attacks in schools like APS, Peshawar where a large number of students were killed.
Schools are force to provide security to students. Attacks on students, teachers, on school buses,
entrance of school buildings have decreased enrollment in schools.

28- Female students and female teachers’ harassment

Female students and female teachers are sexually harassed by male teachers. Many students are
threatened not to speak against the culprit. In universities many male teachers award good grades
to female students after their sexual assault. In jobs, females involved in such type of illicit
activities and involved with the management get all kind of benefits of increments; increase in
salaries, courses abroad, promotions and in some cases female faculty was awarded PhD degrees
even when their research work was not up to the mark and rejected by external supervisors.

29- Parent’s input for improvement of education system at all levels

Parents should be involved at all education levels to maintain the high standards of education and
learning.

30- Cost of education

The economic cost is higher in private schools and they are located in rich localities only though
they provide better quality of education. Public schools ensure equitable access but low-quality
education.

31- Cultural constraints and traditional taboos

Due to cultural constraints and traditional taboos parents prefer early marriages of their girls
instead of sending them to schools. Similarly, mothers feel comfortable when girls stay home and
help mothers in baby sitting and finishing household chores. In some of the areas only boys are
sent to schools considering them as head of the future families and girls are asked to learn some
family skills like embroidery, weaving, pottery or for cattle care.

32- Illiteracy of parents and parental concerns

Due to non – availability of Education and lack of awareness poor parents have number of
children in the hope that they will become their earning hands and instead of sending them to
school their mothers working in different houses as domestic help take them along for the baby
sitting of the children of theses houses and demand money for that. They think that investing
girls will be of benefit to the in laws or her husband since they will not get any return from it so
its better as long as girls are staying in their homes they should earn and bring money for the
family.

33- Learning crisis:

The education system is not producing students who are learning from education as per the
requirement of the standard in which they are studying. Maybe a student studying in class five
does have the knowledge of class two or three only. This Learning Crisis has become the biggest
issue of our current education system. It means there is wide gap between school input and
school output.

34- Distance:
There are many schools which are far from some of villages and there are no means of
transportation and children have to walk on foot to reach schools miles away from their homes
which is not possible for girl students to do as parents do not want to send their girls unattended
and do not accompany them since they have to work to meet both ends.

Recommendations:

1. Budget allocation should be increased as per international standards of education.

2. Schools should be shifted on solar system to handle the issue of load shedding.
3. Pupil teacher, pupil school and teacher school ratios should be balanced and class
strength, teacher’s number and number of classrooms should be in accordance to the
international education standards.
4. Boundary walls should be made. Security staff should be hired, CCTV cameras should be
installed, student teacher and staff should be issued identity cards.
 5. For teacher training and development quality professional institutes with sufficient funds
should be set up.
6. Political and bureaucratic influence should be minimized at all educational levels.
7. The system of accountability should be strengthened and all associated in education
system are trained to own responsibilities both at individual and collective basis.
8. Curriculum should be revised on annual basis and new strategies and methods should be
incorporated to align our education system with other countries.
9. Examination system should be made free of unfair means, Mafia culture and illegal
gratification. Supervision and monitoring should be strong to subside this element.
10. Policies should be implemented with delay and in continuity to get their outcomes.
11. The culture of research should be promoted in the educational institutions.
12. There should be Academia industrial linkage programs to make our education practical
and our students capable of absorption in the job market.
13. Introduction of technical and vocational trainings at secondary schools.
14. Increasing public expenditure on education and skill generation from 2.7% of GDP to 5%
of GDP and then to 7% of GDP.
15. Reduce polarization and try to introduce uniform standards at all types of schools.
16. Enhance the scale and quality of education in general and the scale and quality of
scientific/technical education in Pakistan in particular.

Conclusion:
Sense education is developing not only mind, but it also cleans and grooms our body and soul.
We not only get education for economic reason but to handle social, political, psychological,
ethical, legal and spiritual issues of our life. Education turns a raw human into a polished human
being which becomes human capital of any nation and key to the development of that country.
With education many countries are ruling the world and have become leaders in the comity of
nations. The current system has made our younger generation direction directionless and
uncertain about their future so they are leaving Pakistan and settling down in developed
countries. The lawlessness, fear of loss of life, terrorist attacks, unemployment, inflation,
exchange rate fluctuation, overpopulation, poverty, taxes and IMF loans are producing forces of
degree holders without any vision, mission, critical thinking, reflection, analysis, research and
creativity. Our outdated curriculum is pushing our youth towards stone age instead of directing
them towards the fast-changing technology driven world. Traditional teaching is giving
theoretical knowledge to students but practical learning is missing.

Finally, education reforms are the only solution to change the existing education system so
following recommendations are suggested for the policy makers, thinkers, researchers,
educationists and common people. Hope it will add value in the research and development of
both student and teachers.

References:

1. http://library.aepam.edu.pk/Books/Pakistan%20Education%20Statistics%202017-
18.pdf
2. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED570671.pdf
3. https://contentgenerate.com/problems-of-education-sector-solutions-pakistan-
content-generate/
4. https://www.finance.gov.pk/survey/chapter_22/PES10-EDUCATION.pdf
5. https://ipripak.org/education-system-of-pakistan-issues-problems-and-solutions/