Investing in education

Soaring poverty and slumping investment in education are closely linked. That is why social mobility is an uphill task for the country's 150 million youth, many of whom are deprived of quality education and avenues of employment. It is an enigma that a mere Rs117.75 billion has been allocated for education by the federal government out of a budget outlay of Rs18.77 trillion. Moreover, with education becoming a provincial subject since the 18th Amendment, not much progress has been made in making it a priority for public development. The result is that more than 26 million children are out of school, while only Rs46 billion has been allocated for higher education development projects.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's assertion that financial hardships must not prevent young people from pursuing education and developing their abilities seems to be no more than a political statement. The fact is that education is low on the list of national priorities, as only 0.8% of GDP was spent on education in FY2025, contrary to the internationally recommended minimum of 4%. It is no surprise that poverty is on the rise and more than one-third of the country's populace faces serious deprivations in the realms of healthcare, education and living standards. A World Bank report recently stated that Pakistan accounts for approximately 48% of people in the wider region living below the extreme poverty line of $3 a day. This, coupled with population growth and a large number of mouths to feed, affects children's ability to attend school.

The initiative, nonetheless, to distribute 500,000 Chromebooks among needy students on merit is a welcome move. The positive is that students from mainstream educational institutions and religious seminaries are eligible for the programme. However, such piecemeal measures will not address the pressing need for quality education. The government must work to ensure that universal primary education is available and that secondary education is ensured by the provinces as a legal obligation. Likewise, investing in vocational training and providing enough avenues of higher education on a par with international standards are indispensable measures. Enough of ribbon-cutting and photo-ops.