LAHORE (PR) - The national education system in Pakistan, especially the girls’ education, is drastically poor and under-resourced.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Awaz Foundation manager Syed Turab Ali Gillani said that only 2.1 per cent of GDP was invested in education, compared to a global weighted average of 4.9pc, as a result, progress towards the achievement of the education related Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
“Women and girls are particularly disadvantaged, who suffer the most in terms of social and human development. Only 22pc of girls, compared to 47pc boys, complete the primary schooling,” Gillani said.
School dropout rates are high, especially at the secondary level, where only 34pc of Pakistani children (2010) receive education and 19pc get opportunity to attend higher secondary schools. According to Unesco Institute for Education Statistics (2012), there are more than five million out of schools children of primary age in Pakistan. Females constitute 3.2 million (more than 60 per cent) of the total figure. During the year 2010, the net enrolment rate at primary level was 79.1pc, whereas, total dropout rate at primary level was more than 38pc. The net enrolment at secondary level, during the same year, further dropped down to 34pc.
Even in Punjab, country’s focal province, the situation regarding girls’ right to education is particularly dismal. In most parts of southern side, majority of girls do not get education beyond 5th grade. In entire southern Punjab, literacy rate for girls (10+ years) is lowest with Multan 53pc; DG Khan, RY Khan and Lodhran 44pc each; and Rajanpur as lowest as 33pc.
The female literacy rate is lowest in Muzaffargarh: only 19.2pc. The district has a population of 2.63 million with 47.91pc females. The rural population makes up 87.1pc of the total population. The overall literacy rate of Muzaffargarh district is 28.5pc, where rural literacy rate is 24.1pc and urban is 55.5pc. Female literacy rate is 14.8pc, while male literacy rate is 40.9pc. Projected population growth rate for Muzaffargarh district is 3.38pc (DCR 1998).