INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION UNIVERSITY OF SINDH JAMSHORO

Subject: Topic:

Strategic Marketing Management Reasons of Backwardness of Education in Pakistan

Submitted to: Respected Sir Ahsan Sheikh

Group Members Lutufullah Mangrio Abdul Aleem Abbasi

Roll number 78 01

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research article is to investigate the key issues, problems and the new challenges to the primary education of Pakistan. Education plays the role of leadership in the society. The functions of the educational institutions are to develop the people, physically, mentally, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. It improves and promotes the economic, social, political and cultural life of the nation. Until now the role of education in Pakistan has given no weightage. All over the world nations are developing their economics rapidly and meaningfully. There is a close link between education and development. In Pakistan, after more than five decades, the developmental indicators are not showing positive results. The standard of primary education is low comparatively to other countries of the region. There are problems of political influence, lack of funds, poor management, socio-economic conditions,feudal-system, low-quality of staff, lack of infrastructure and laboratories. Relevance with society needs, research facilities, financial crisis, weaknesses of examination system, ineffective governance and academic results are not at par with international standards are considered as the gigantic problems of education in Pakistan.

INTRODUCTION Education plays a vital role in human capital formation. It raises the productivity and efficiency of individuals and thus produces skilled manpower that is capable of leading the economy towards the path of sustainable economic development. Like many other developing countries, the situation of the education sector in Pakistan is not very encouraging. It is shocking for for us that there are 6 million working children in Pakistan it makes us wonder. and over half the population age 10 and above has never attended school, it really grabs attention. Great nations aren't formed by great leaders; theyre formed by great people. From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the Millennium Goals, education is the right of every man, woman and child. So why is it, that sixty four years on after Pakistan was formed, the rich are still getting richer and the common man is still left asking, "what about me?"

Literacy rate - Half the entire country aged ten and above is illiterate (2004). Just over 1 in 3 women is able to sign her name. (2004) Girl Children - 47 percent of all girls never enroll in school. Here, 57 women for every 100 men are illiterate. Working Children - 6.5 million children under 9 years old are out of school; 1 in 10 are working nationally. Dropout rate - a boggling 35 percent of children never even finish Grade 5. Teachers/school - 1 in 5 teachers never show for class. Av. Class size is 37 pupils.

Funding - Pakistan has one of lowest ten education budgets in the world

In Human development Report Pakistan is placed at 136th position for having just 49.9% educated populace. The primary completion rate in Pakistan, given by Date Center of UNESCO, is 33.8% in females and 47.18% in males, which shows that people in the 6th largest country of the world are unable to get the basic education.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS Though there are many problems related to education of Pakistan, but the conditions can be made better through some efforts. Analyzing the crucial problems, government and the civil society should play their role to improve the educational standard. The budget must be increased so that the respective development programmes can be started. Following steps can be very effective: Proper Infrastructure Same syllabus around the country Avoidance of political influence Merit-based recruitment Proper appointment of teachers Proper check and balance environment Reward and recognition Increased salaries and allowance Timely need based trainings of teachers Control on population explosion Considering the above mentioned parameters, the condition will improve rapidly and a positive change will be observed from the root to the top. Such steps will enhance the skills, attitude, aptitude, capabilities of teaching staff and ultimately it will ba motivation to the teachers and the students as well.

PROBLEMS CONCERNED WITH EDUCATION SECTOR

Literacy statistics Out of the countrys 158 million people, 79 million have never attended school, more than half the country. Across the nation, 66% of the population live in rural areas and literacy rates between town1s and cities can vary by up to a third. To be able to read is a rare skill in many parts of a nation where ability ranges from 53% in the Punjab to 36% in the deserts of Balochistan. The common man has few chances to educate his family in this country and the challenge for women is simply terrifying. Since 1991 the national literacy rate for age 10 and above has surged from 35% to 53% in 20045. Primary enrollment is on the up and the concept of girls education is now widely accepted - if often unaffordable. Buoyed by progress, Pakistan now predicts an 85% nationwide literacy rate by 2015 and 100% enrollment for every child across the nation. But are these goals achievable? In 2001, the Pakistan Government drafted the National Education Policy to achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 and make Education for All (EFA) a reality. But rhetoric is one thing and action is another. Pakistans political stability is shaky at best and like India, the young nation seems unwilling to invest the funds needed to achieve EFA. Time is running out and for now the question is, can they achieve it in time?

UNIVERSAL EDUCATION Educational options are limited in Pakistan. Compulsory education is only available at primary level from age 5-9 years, and the country is only one of a handful of nations worldwide in which secondary education is not a legal necessity. Unlike China and India, there is no legal right to a free education, meaning parents have few options when their children wish to start school. Only 66% (2004) of all children begin primary school in this country and an abysmal, 21% (2004) begin secondary school. The chance of a child even completing an internationally defined nine years of basic education is a forlorn hope for many. Whilst primary Enrollment increased from 33% in 1991 to 66% in 2004, the Government estimates that current Enrollment rates will have to double to 10% per year to achieve universal enrollment by 2015. Moving ahead, the Government also plans to educate 81 million adults and eradicate gender equality by the same date. A grand gesture indeed. But where is the money going to come from to solve a gaggle or problems that has been strangling dreams and hopes for the past sixty years. Enrollment in surely one thing, but retention in school is quite another

Girl Children: Behind the Veil Picture the tale if you will, of a girl whose only ambition is to grow up to help those around her. Picture her prospects in a rural world of taboo and tradition where women are regarded as property and whose future is decided the moment she is born. According to Amnesty International, over 90% of women think they have no rights at all. Its a mans world out there and change is very slow in coming to rural Pakistan. The United Nations ranks Pakistan, 105 out of 134 in its Human Development Gender Index 2006; the second lowest in South Asia. Honour killings, rape and illegal trafficking of women are prevalent across much of the country. Recent research showed that "women owned less than 3% of plots in sampled villages, despite having the right to inherit land in most." Low literacy and poor health care mean that 1 in 10 children die before the age of five. Education fares just as badly. Nationwide literacy rates for women over 15 years, stand at 36 percent 1 and are predicted to rise to only 50 percent by 2015 - far off Pakistans education target. In the mountainous provinces bordering Afghanistan, the literacy rate can be less than 15%! In rural Balochistan its less than 7 percent! The country has already missed the EFA goal of gender equality by 2005. Enrollment is to blame with fewer than 60% of all girls beginning primary school and less than 1 in 5 enrolling in secondary school. For every 100 boys toiling in a classroom, only 73 girls join them and even if a girl makes it into class, shes likely to be pulled out well before the age of nine

The biggest barrier to a girls education in Pakistan is her lack of access to it. Cultural limitations prevent parents sending their daughters to mixed gender schools restricting access to single sex safe-houses. Across the nation, education is built to demand rather than supply, meaning that boys schools often out number girls, especially in rural areas. For the average girl, school is either too far, too expensive or not safe enough for her parents to allow her to attend - even if she wanted to go. Distance is particularly a problem where parents often fear rape and abduction. Increased age, brings increased responsibilities around the home, and with the onset of puberty comes purdah and early marriage. With school so far away it becomes difficult for parents to allow their daughter to travel far and even if they are, many dropout early to work at home or get married. In a dogmatic society like rural Pakistan, a girls value is seen several paces behind a man, and not beside him. Change will not come with education, but it will begin with it and for that to happen, the Government has to stop dawdling and start acting. In the face of such adversity, an education gives women strength, resolution and self respect. It gives them the capability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and take advantage when opportunity arises. It leads to:

A happier marriage and awareness of her basic human rights

Better job prospects and higher wages. Greater well-being and a lower chance of contracting HIV. Enhanced involvement in politics

Leading economists believe that female education may "be the highest return on investment available in developing countries today." Interesting research from the World Bank shows that, for every extra year of education beyond the average level, a womans wages rise by 13-18%. The UN tells us, that for every year a woman is educated; the chance of infant mortality reduces by 5-10%. Children of educated mothers study for two hours longer each night, than those of non-educated women. Society may be slow to change, but educating girls is certainly the catalyst to begin it. School's out! For good Across the country, 6.5 million children are out of school; 4 million of whom are girls and all under nine years old.1 If we include children of secondary age, it could even be 30 million. Once out of school, most will never begin, and the likelihood is that many will be working. A 1996 study by the Government states that 1 in every 10 children under the age of 14 are toiling in Pakistan (over 3.3 million). UNICEF claims the real figure is nearer to 10 million. Every day, wandering minds drift to school whilst busy hands work the farm or play the loom. Most working children are boys, belonging to poor families living in rural areas, where the average size of the family is greater than eight. Poverty doesnt offer parents the choice of educating their offspring, when fees are too high or schools too far away. Many see little value in an education system that offers few job opportunities later on and more working hands mean less hungry stomachs. Children may also fail to enroll due to their height. EFA 2005 Report reveals that 40% of all children in South Asia are stunted and much less likely to enroll in school. Whilst, child labour is illegal under Pakistan law, culprits are rarely caught and the law is basically ignored. The 1996 study showed that 67% of all children worked in agriculture, 11% in manufacturing with the rest in retail and service sectors. Although most children worked on the farm, many more work in carpet factories, stone crushing sites and brick kilns. It's been estimated that in the Punjab alone, 1 million children toil in its infamous carpet factories, suffering spinal deformities, gnarled hands and physical abuse. Many more are enslaved in the confines of bonded labour, an exclusively cruel practice that bonds a human being to another until a debt has been paid off (often generations later). Illiterate people actually accept their fate because they dont know any other kind of life exists. Although the Pakistan government is working with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to eradicate the worst forms of child labour from the country, the problem remains severe.

Political Influence In our country the political influence heavily damages the educational sector. The political affiliations make the system paralyzed. No one is willing to perform the duties properly. Self-granted leaves by teaching staff has become a big hindrance in the way of academic proceedings. No action can be taken against any one because of political support. Government officers are reluctant to avoid the system. Whole the system has become corrupt.

Educational Budget Several factors and complexities have led to current situation including national spending on education. In Budget 2010-2011 allocated for education sector is 31 Billion Rupees that is 2.6% of GDP. While like other political parties PPPP also pledged to allocate 5% of GDP in its electoral manifesto. Since Independence attempts have been made to relate the education system to the needs and inspirations of the country but statistics showed nothing was done in this regard. Eduacational Policies Educational policies and plans have been of key importance for social researchers in Pakistan; fortunately lot of reviews and research studies have been conducted to analyze different angles of educational policies. Usually policies are made without the proper analysis, and with no care and sense, Only commissions are made, but all the recommended results are ignored. Feudal-system Feudal lords have also somehow affected the education sector. They have made the schools their storage places. They have no interest in the prosperity of farmers or about their education. This they are deteriorating their output as well as the future of the poor people under their custody. Lack of financial resources Due to poor financial conditions, the lower-class people usually prefer to let their children work to earn the livelihood, so that the home can have the needs fulfilled. Due to such conditions the illiteracy is increasing day by day and the country is suffering from many problems. Farmers should be given the education at their door step at no cost, to educate them.

Lack of awareness Mostly the people are unaware about the benefits of education. They usually avoid by saying that There are no jobs. They must be persuaded to educate their kids for a better tomorrow. There must be educational campaigns like Polio Campaign. In such a way, the education will be common and will be taken seriously as the livelihood. Some other problems are given as follows: a) Medium of Instruction b) Unhygenic School Environment c) Unskilled Teachers d) Phantom Schools e) High Dropout rate f) Low Enrollment rate g) Inadequate Physical and other facilities h) Flaws in Examination System i) Politics in Education i) Student Organizations ii) Teachers' selection and posting iii) Curiculum iv) Examination j) Female illiteracy k) Lack of diversification in Education l) Stratification of Education m) Unemployment

RESEARCH METHODOLORY Secondary Data A thorough process was observed to collect the concerned information. Different journals, reports, magazines, articles, newspapers were taken into consideration. All the facts and figures are set into a form so that the complete picture can be obtained

Primary Data Questionnaires: To attain the proper information of the problems and their solutions, the questionnaires were made. Peoples pole was taken in a great manner. After a long discussion with the local people and the officers, the above mentioned information was gathered.

Interviews: We met with the common people as well as the heads of the institutes to obtain the information regarding the topic. Several things were taken into consideration and finally, some facts were finalized. Problems and their respective solutions are given above.

Research Findings

Although, the problems are so many, but sincere effort can sort them out. It is not so difficult to bring changes in the present system. Slight change in policies and procedures can make the conditions better. Following findings are taken into account:

Need based annual budgets Conducive and friendly educational policies Proper Infrastructure Same syllabus around the country Avoidance of political influence Merit-based recruitment Proper appointment of teachers Proper check and balance environment Reward and recognition Increased salaries and allowance Timely need based trainings of teachers Control on population explosion

If the governments will seriously implement the above mentioned findings, then surely the dramatical chages will occure.

10%

Political Influenc

Lack of Budgets 20% 40%

Feudal System

10%

Poor Management

20%

Population

RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. There is a need for massive capacity building of all stakeholders in order to ensure better performance and understanding of their roles and responsibilities. 2. The communities have to be provided proper orientation as to how they can play their role in the enhancement of education levels and standards. 3. Inter-district transfers should be made with consent of the concerned EDOs 4. The administrative and financial powers of EDOs and DEOs are too limited they should be empowered. 5. There should be a law officer with the EDOs office to assist in perusal of court cases. At present, there is only one such officer in the office of the DCO. 6. The Rules of Business arent clear enough, especially the financial aspects need more clarity. 7. The physical infrastructure isnt properly in place yet, there, the creation of proper infrastructure is critically important. 8. The monitoring staff needs to be made mobile to ensure effective functioning. 9. The EDO is responsible to the District Nazim, DCO and the Secretary Education as well. He/ She should be made responsible to one management post as these multiple reporting lines are affecting performance. 10. Clear job descriptions are laid down to ensure better and focused performance. 11. The public representatives should refrain from unnecessary interference and political clout over education officials. 12. A number of managerial staff is from teaching cadres. They should be provided with necessary managerial training.

13. There is not enough clarity on the financial aspect of the devolved system 14. Quality Education for al

15. Public-Private partnership

16. More allocation of funds

17. Destratification of education

18. Decenteralization of education with strong monitoring system

19. Improved Teachers' selection criteria and skilled teachers

20. Examination system - to check learning not cramming

CONCLUSION Education provides the base for socio-economic development. An educational system of poor quality may be one of the most important reasons why poor countries do not grow. In Pakistan, the quality of education is on the decline in spite of the fact that the present government has initiated drastic measures in uplifting the quality and quantity of education. Quality of teachers especially at primary level is still questionable. It is evident that that without teachers transformation we cannot transform the education system for improving the quality of education. In this regard, a series of education reforms in the area of teacher education were introduced in the public sector but their vision seemed to be narrow, hence, they failed to make any substantial impact on the quality of teachers and teaching process. Eventually, it further affected the quality of education being offered in schools. Education system of Pakistan is facing new challenges. It has yet to be developed at par with other developing countries in the region

REFERENCES FEDERAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS (1998). Pakistan Integrated Household Survey Round 2. Government of Pakistan. HIGHER EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: Peril and Promise by Task Force on Higher Education. Education Watch Report 2000 by SAHE-Pakistan. SPDC (2002). Human Development Report Social Policy and Development Centre, Islamabad. THE EDUCATION CHALLENGE: HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH ASIA. (1998). Human Development Center, Islamabad. PAKISTAN STATISTICAL YEAR BOOK (2004). Federal Bureau of Statistics, Government of Pakistan Pakistan Social & Living Standard Measurement Survey 200809 Ameer Hassan Dall (Teacher, Muslim College Hyderabad) Syed Ali Akbar Shah (Head Master, Government Boys High School Abdul Rahim Katiar, Ditta, Shah Karim)