After the calibre of primary school education came under fire on a national level, a report released last week indicates the problem is acute in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
With 37 per cent of children up to five years old out of school despite the enforcement of Section 25A of the constitution, the survey released by the South Asian Forum for Education Development (SAFED) depicts a poor state of education in the city. A number of households, 28 government schools and 26 private schools were surveyed for the purpose.
According to the report, 75.4 per cent children aged three, 36 per cent aged four and 6.8 per cent aged five do not attend schools. The learning level of students reflects a more unimpressive statistic with 42 per cent of first grade students in public schools and 59.4 per cent in private schools being able to read.
Similarly, only 52 per cent of fifth grade public school students and 63.8 per cent of private school students can read sentences.
Furthermore, the report reveals that 36 per cent of first grade public school students recognise numbers from 10 to 99. This figure marginally improves in the case of private schools with 57.8 per cent of the students.
Concerning arithmetic exercises, 37.9 per cent of public school and 48.5 per cent private school, third graders can perform subtraction. Of them, 47 per cent are female students and 57.8 per cent male students. Students who can read English sentences are at 33.6 per cent of fourth graders, 55.8 per cent of fifth graders. 65.4 per cent of sixth grades and 76.2 per cent of seventh graders.
The report further highlighted that compared to 2010, the attendance levels at public and private schools were down by 12.2 per cent and up three per cent, respectively, in 2011.
Teacher attendance in government primary, elementary and high schools which stands at 72 per cent, 79 per cent and 85 per cent, is only marginally worse than private school whose ratios reflect a 89.7 per cent, 81.7 per cent and 94.7 per cent attendance in the same categories.
The report shows a troubling trend in the educational system in the country that is no longer limited to government public schools, but now includes private schools in the ICT.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2012.
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