Reclaiming education

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Education is the biggest marker of upward mobility in a society. For a nation to grow intellectually, economically and socially, it is vital that its children are offered education without barriers. Unfortunately, the current climate of Pakistan's progress is severely handicapped by its 25.37 million out-of-school children — as revealed by a recent report titled 'Pakistan's Non-Formal Education Report 2023-24', launched in Islamabad last week.

This crisis ranks Pakistan as the country with the world's second-highest number of out-of-school children, surpassed only by Nigeria. With around one third of children aged 5-16 out of school, Pakistan is facing an education emergency it cannot afford to ignore.

In a post-Covid reality further marred by the recent floods, existing social inequalities driving these high numbers of out-of-school children have only been exacerbated. The number of children receiving an education in rural areas is alarmingly low, but even lower for girls who face compounded barriers due to gender and geography.

The urgency of this situation has welcomed an alternative that provides children accessible and versatile learning opportunities. Non-Formal Education (NFE) is a structured and intentional form of education that focuses both on academic and skills-based training, without relying on a traditional mode of education that is often unapproachable for many.

In an increasingly digital and postmodern world, the disruption of pre-existing structures can be exactly the lifeline that Pakistani children currently need. Through Accelerated Learning Programs (ALP), education and training would be able to cross regional barriers and reach out-of-school children to bring them back within the system.

While NFE is already enshrined in the Pakistan's Constitution and has existed for decades, there has never been a greater need for it than now. Implementation of data-backed policy decisions regarding the programme holds the power to change the country's educational landscape. Better late than never!