ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – The number of out-of-school children (OOSC) aged 5-16 in Pakistan stood at 26.2 million, says the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, as the figures present an alarming picture for a country that is way behind in human resource development at a time when the world is all set for the Fifth Industrial Revolution.
With a society that hasn’t gone through the original Industrial Revolution, the millions of children on streets present a challenge to Pakistan which is facing the worst economic crisis in its history amid record-high inflation, shrinking purchasing power and worsening cost of living crisis.
According to the UNICEF, Pakistan enjoys an unwanted distinction of having the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children, despite the fact that access to education is a basic human right.
The report, which is based on the 2020-21 data, means the current numbers are much higher thanks to the increase in population and economic turmoil.
Punjab tops the list with 11.73 million out-of-school children followed by Sindh 7.63 million, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 3.63 million, Balochistan 3.13 million and Islamabad 0.8 million.
However, the figures have improved somewhat when compared with 2016-17 when the out-of-school children were 44 per cent of their population share. It is 39pc in 2020-21.
So the question is what will the future of these children? In other words, what future we can foresee as a nation?
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Another neglected subject is the quality of education, which has been stopping the production of critical minds and skilled workers. Now add this to the out-of-school children numbers and start reasoning about Pakistan’s future.
Until and unless we are ready to introduce a wholesale and holistic set of reforms to the education system, any hopes of a bright future will only remain a dream in the years and decades to come.