KARACHI:
Around the world, countries with high literacy rates enjoy greater growth and development as well as societal harmony. Unfortunately, Sindh has long suffered from poor educational infrastructure. The Covid pandemic forced many students out of education as most institutes lacked the resources to move academic activities online. Even after lockdowns were lifted many students did not return to schools and colleges due to financial constraints and other reasons.
The floods in 2022 further aggravated the situation as many school and college buildings were completely damaged. In addition, some institutes were used to house the displaced residents, which has prevented schools from resuming academic activities. Given that education is a fundamental right of all citizens of Pakistan, the students of Sindh should not be deprived of this right and must be supported. Besides reforming primary and secondary education in the province and improving access to education, the provincial government should improve opportunities for graduates of Sindh. This will encourage students and their families to continue their education.
Considering that most parts of interior Sindh are engulfed in many issues such as poverty, unemployment, etc, education is a sustainable solution to tackle these issues. Students in the province must be given opportunities to showcase their potential, knowledge, and talent. This will not only boost innovation and creativity but also attract public and private organisations to invest in the region and create employment opportunities.
Habibullah Soomro
Tharparkar
Published in The Express Tribune, March 17th, 2023.
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