By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, on Wednesday officially launched the 2022-23 report on girls’ education by the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE), revealing that 21 million girls were enrolled in educational institutions over the past year, while some challenges remain.
The report, prepared by the PIE was unveiled during a ceremony held at the auditorium of Allama Iqbal Open University. The ceremony was attended by the Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui as chief guest while Additional Secretary of Education, Hassan Saqlain; Director General of the Pakistan Institute of Education, Dr. Muhammad Shahid Saroya; Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University, Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood; Executive Director of Pakistan Alliance for Girls’ Education, Fajr; and representatives from other stakeholders also participated.
According to the report, nationwide, 28% of educational institutions are exclusively for girls, 31% are co-educational, and 41% are for boys. The report also proposes concrete measures to address the challenges identified.
In his address, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui praised the report on girls’ education by the PIE, stating that girls play a pivotal role in achieving excellent academic results across the country, including Islamabad.
He emphasized the need to further empower young girls to achieve even better outcomes and highlighted that Islam also commands equal opportunities for the education and training of girls.
He remarked that data is the world’s greatest wealth, and future conflicts will also be based on data. Therefore, there is a need to not only prepare data according to ground realities but also to protect it effectively.
He gave the example that in our neighboring country, Bangladesh, the number of youth is equal to their total population.”We must provide our youth with education, training, and skills to make them a solution to global crises, not just for Pakistan”.
He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared an educational emergency in the country on the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Professional Training. Under this emergency, the Ministry has formulated both long-term and short-term policies, and work on these policies is progressing rapidly.
Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Professional Training, Hassan Saqlain, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing girls’ education in Pakistan.
He emphasized data-driven policy-making and the need for improved infrastructure in girls’ schools to ensure equal access to quality education. While acknowledging progress in increasing girls’ enrollment, he highlighted the ongoing need to eliminate gender disparity and called for collaboration with all stakeholders to create a more inclusive educational environment.
Director General, PIE, Dr. Muhammad Shahid Saroya, shed light on the report on girls’ education, explaining that it is based on statistics that provide an overview of the current state of girls’ education.
The report highlights various aspects of girls’ education, noting progress in some areas while challenges remain in others.
As of 2022-23, approximately 21 million girls were enrolled in educational institutions, a lower number compared to 25 million boys. Although efforts have been made to close this gap, gender disparity still exists. Notably, around 13.71 million girls are still out of school, and they are 7% less likely to attend school compared to boys. Regarding the number of educational institutions, there are 238,718 institutions in Pakistan, of which 28% are for girls, 41% for boys, and 31% are co-educational.
He further mentioned that although some areas have seen improvements in facilities, 4% of girls’ schools still do not have proper buildings, and 10% do not meet sustainable construction standards. Moreover, infrastructure problems persist: 25% of girls’ schools need repairs, 6% are considered dangerous, 14% lack toilets, 17% do not have drinking water, and 22% are without electricity. More focus and investment are required to overcome these challenges.
Dr Saroya stated that the report shows significant progress in girls’ education in Pakistan, which is linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
Further investment in girls’ education can help Pakistan achieve these global goals and pave the way for building a just and equitable society.
This report can serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, education experts, and development partners in devising more actions and strategies to achieve gender equality and inclusive education.
Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University, Professor Dr. Nasir Mahmood, said that Allama Iqbal Open University is also working to bring three million out-of-school children into schools. Currently, the university has 1 million students who continue their education with minimal tuition fees.
