Inequalities in Pakistan’s educatino system

Inequalities in education sector are widespread phenomenon in the world, particularly in the developing world, to which Pakistan is no exception. However, just like its other developed and developing counterparts around the world, the country is also striving
to address this issue at its best. The nature of inequalities prevalent in the education system of Pakistan can broadly be categorized into two parts; the gender inequality and the social/economic inequality.

Pakistan, like other many developing countries around the world, epitomizes a patriarchal society where women are subject to all sorts of discriminations that lead towards a low social, economic and political status for them. Although the situation is no
different in the urban areas, but it is at its worst in the rural settlement where patriarchal structures, combined with absolute poverty, limit opportunities for women (National Education Policy, 2007). The Gender inequalities in Pakistan’s education system
can be better depicted through the gross and net enrollment, dropout and retention rates at various levels. As per the stats released by the NEP 2007,
women’s education status in Pakistan is the lowest in the world. The menace of low education among women folks emanates right at the primary level where not only their participation rate is considerably low, but the high dropout rates are also extremely
high.

According to the stats released by the Ministry of Women development back in 2007, which were also quoted in the National education Policy 2007: mere 19% women in Pakistan have attained up to matriculation level education, 8 percent up to intermediate level
while 5 percent of them have earned the Bachelor’s degrees. The percentage of women getting enrolled in universities and accomplishing Master’s level program is a meager 1.4%. From the total female adult population, 60 per cent are illiterate. Moreover, out
of 3.3 million out of school children, 2.503 million constitute girls. The gender disparity even at primary level is worrisome where 73.6% girls attend school comparing to the 92.1% of their boys counterparts. The gender disparity seems touching its peek when
viewed in context of rural-urban divide as sizeable number of girls in rural areas drop out of schools without accomplishing primary level education.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=4827

Posted by Fayyaz Yaseen on Nov 26 2011. Filed under Education, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry