A history of education: Speaker discusses Pakistan's historical and current education policy
Javed Hasan Aly criticises the focus on security over education.
Javed Hasan Aly criticises the focus on security over education. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
Pakistan needs a national education policy and committed teachers to improve its standard of education, said former bureaucrat Javed Hasan Aly.
During a seminar, titled "Dynamics of Public Policy in Pakistan: A Historical Review with Reference to Education", held at The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development on Friday, Aly analysed the discourse of education policy from the Mughal period to modern times and the effects of various education policies in the country based on his experience as a public policy civil servant.
Aly highlighted several factors such as artificial creation of ideology as well as external and internal influences that have transformed educational attainment into a political tool rather than one used for social development. "This shift is reflected in Pakistan's education policy, which was demand driven till the mid-1950s but has become increasingly supply driven from then onwards." He said this has lead to an increase in poverty and has widened the wealth gap.
Aly said that the shift of government focus from education to military and defence has led to increased external 'donor' participation in the country's policies. This has in turn caused an increase in government spending in defence and security while further decreasing expenditure on education and other programmes.
Aly's presentation also highlighted a lack of governance in public-sector education. "Lack of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, poor quality of schools and other factors have also curved educational investment in Pakistan towards failure," he pointed out. "Civil society and volunteer organisations have made futile attempts to address the slide."
The key issues in education, according to Aly, are the lack of focus on quality, absence of proper standards, political intervention and corruption, multiple systems of education, decreasing capacity and low literacy rates. "A constant supply of quality teachers and quality environment to teachers are also required," he stressed.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2013.
Pakistan needs a national education policy and committed teachers to improve its standard of education, said former bureaucrat Javed Hasan Aly.
During a seminar, titled "Dynamics of Public Policy in Pakistan: A Historical Review with Reference to Education", held at The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development on Friday, Aly analysed the discourse of education policy from the Mughal period to modern times and the effects of various education policies in the country based on his experience as a public policy civil servant.
Aly highlighted several factors such as artificial creation of ideology as well as external and internal influences that have transformed educational attainment into a political tool rather than one used for social development. "This shift is reflected in Pakistan's education policy, which was demand driven till the mid-1950s but has become increasingly supply driven from then onwards." He said this has lead to an increase in poverty and has widened the wealth gap.
Aly said that the shift of government focus from education to military and defence has led to increased external 'donor' participation in the country's policies. This has in turn caused an increase in government spending in defence and security while further decreasing expenditure on education and other programmes.
Aly's presentation also highlighted a lack of governance in public-sector education. "Lack of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, poor quality of schools and other factors have also curved educational investment in Pakistan towards failure," he pointed out. "Civil society and volunteer organisations have made futile attempts to address the slide."
The key issues in education, according to Aly, are the lack of focus on quality, absence of proper standards, political intervention and corruption, multiple systems of education, decreasing capacity and low literacy rates. "A constant supply of quality teachers and quality environment to teachers are also required," he stressed.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2013.