Imagine that you have to learn in an environment with absent teachers, no classrooms or electricity, and upwards of 90-degree heat: this is the reality of around 40% of government schools in Punjab – according to the 2007 Learning and Educational Achievements in Punjab Schools (LEAPS) study by Tahir Andrabi, Jishnu Das, Asim Ijaz Khwaja, Tara Vishwanath, and Tristan Zajonc.

Consider being a teacher who is constantly overworked, unable to provide your students with your full attention. The learning environment these circumstances produce makes it difficult for children to stay in school and absorb what they are being taught.

Pakistan has consistently been among the lowest literacy rates of countries in South Asia, but contrary to what the condition of many government schools indicates the government has twice the funds allocated towards education compared to private schools, while the average private school produces much better test results. The aforementioned LEAPS study states the median government school expenses per child is Rs.2039, while the annual median private school tuition for one child is only Rs.1012. These figures have likely increased due to inflation, but the overall trend is the same.

Many children are not learning in school. When the students of all schools in sample villages of a LEAPS study were given the same test, the worst government school scored 84/850, while the worst private school scored 351/850. The best government school scored 845 and the best private school scored 850. It is evident that there is a large difference in the quality of a student’s education depending on which schools are available for them. Both sectors have the potential to produce good results but until now, there hasn’t been much research delving into the root causes of poor grades.

One area of improvement for the government sector is the incentivization of teachers. In a study conducted in the LEAPS report, student test scores improved upwards of 125 points due to government teachers improving principles of accountability and effort – through in-depth teacher training programs – into lessons that private school teachers prioritize. In private schools, a teacher who is absent five days per month is paid 5% less and in government schools the same teacher is paid 3% more.

Because there are no repercussions for government school teachers regarding absence they are not motivated to be present. It was also found that private school teachers whose students perform well earn more. However, it is important to take into account that teaching responsibilities are often not the only responsibilities teachers in government schools face. According to LEAPS, one sample village had only one teacher working in an entire school where there are a maximum of two teachers employed. In addition to teaching, these teachers have election duty, meetings with Deputy District Education officers (DEO) or they are called in for examinations duty, and sometimes for government surveys.

Additionally, it is harder for government teachers to get to work because they are frequently transferred to schools where they are needed the most, not accounting for distance. Another area of improvement regarding teacher hiring is hiring based on student performance and principles of accountability when it comes to teacher attendance and whether students are absorbing the information they are taught. The government hires based on qualification, meaning university education is standard. Private schools, however, prioritize hiring local teachers who demonstrate principles of dedication.

Furthermore, hiring more teachers can be a solution to overcrowding in government schools. Less teacher responsibility allows for individual student needs and attention to be met because it decreases the workload of a teacher. Low school quality decreases student enrollment: if a student isn’t performing well, their parents will be less inclined to keep them in school.

According to LEAPS, children who are perceived as less intelligent by their parents are largely enrolled in government schools that don’t have sufficient resources, leading to a lower quality education and less knowledge obtained. On the surface it may seem like school would be a waste of time for a child performing badly when in reality the problem could be the school they attend. For girls, the issue intensifies. They might have to go to the school closest to them or not be able to attend school at all because of safety concerns– regardless of whether the closest school is the best in their village.

It is evident that the Pakistani government has the money and resources available to create suitable learning environments for children, and their system looks good on paper–but in reality it doesn’t work. Fixing these discrepancies will improve the economy of Pakistan and help to reduce the wealth gap. Through thorough research and more attention to the education disparities, learning can become equal for all students.

Afia Farooki
The writer is a senior at Brooklyn Latin high school in New York.