ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 (APP):Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, has emphasized the urgency of the National Education Development Framework 2024, describing it as a vital necessity. He stressed the need to accelerate its implementation as part of the educational emergency, warning that if the younger generation is not prepared, artificial intelligence could render a billion people irrelevant.
Addressing the launch ceremony of the framework prepared by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with provincial education departments on Monday, the minister highlighted Pakistan’s indecision on the medium of instruction—whether in the mother tongue, national language, or global languages. He called for prioritizing the education of the youth in artificial intelligence, engineering, mathematics, and IT. “Ignoring reality or avoiding the truth will not bring any meaningful progress,” he remarked.
Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Education Farah Naz, Federal Secretary of Education and Professional Training Mohiuddin Wani, provincial education officials, and representatives from the development sector were present at the event.
Dr. Siddiqui lamented the lack of execution despite numerous policies, frameworks, and roadmaps since 1951. He stated that the Ministry of Education is focused on policy formulation post the 18th Amendment, while provinces are responsible for implementation. He urged attention to why implementation continues to falter. Highlighting pressing challenges such as over 26 million children out of school, teacher shortages, and population issues, he called for collective solutions.
Drawing comparisons, he noted that neighboring China and India lifted 500 million and 150 million people, respectively, out of poverty over two decades. He pointed out that Pakistan’s entrenched feudal system, sustained by poverty, remains a significant obstacle. Criticizing past decisions, he claimed education was “feudalized” rather than nationalized in 1972. He also questioned why “ghost schools” proliferate while opening new schools remains challenging.
Federal Secretary of Education Mr. Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani elaborated on the framework, calling it a comprehensive document developed in consultation with experts and provincial representatives. It identifies critical issues in Pakistan’s education sector, addressing areas such as school education (from early childhood to higher secondary), non-formal education, adult literacy, higher education, and technical and vocational training.
The framework outlines problems in access, quality, and equity, emphasizing market-aligned technical education and diversified career pathways. Highlighting Pakistan’s poor ranking—164th among 193 countries—he noted a literacy rate of only 62% and 26 million out-of-school children. He underscored severe deficits in foundational skills, higher education access (limited to 12%), and alignment with market needs. The lack of resources and challenges from Pakistan’s diversity impede policy implementation.
Director General of the Pakistan Institute of Education, Dr Mohammad Shahid Soroya, highlighted the National Education Development Framework 2024 in his presentation.
Minister Rahila Durrani, in a video message, stressed learning from each other and maintaining education among top priorities. She invited federal and provincial counterparts to collaborate in addressing Balochistan’s educational challenges, including teacher shortages and facility deficiencies.
Special Secretary for Schools Muhammad Iqbal reported progress on implementing the framework and digital solutions for recruitment and transfers. Punjab plans to integrate its education sector plan with the national framework within three months and enhance school councils for improved infrastructure and resources.
Special Secretary for Education Syed Junaid highlighted Sindh’s school upgrading, early childhood education, transgender policies, and out-of-school reintegration initiatives.
Secretary Masood Ahmad noted the impact of terrorism, extremism, and natural disasters on education in the province. He emphasized the provincial government’s commitment to promoting girls’ education and leveraging the framework for policy reforms and stakeholder engagement.
The event underscored a collective resolve for education reforms, urging collaborative efforts across provinces to overcome challenges and align with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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