Our
progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress
in education - John F. Kennedy
A
child living in abject conditions in Bagan-Mirpur Sakro, Sindh
We are still needed because:
Pakistan ranks amongst the lowest countries according to the human development index of UNDP.
With an estimated 164.7 million people, it is the 6th most populous country in the world.
Annual population growth rate is 1.8% and with this growth rate Pakistan's population is expected to cross the 290 million mark by the year 2050.
Of the millions added to the population each year, only half will have access to any formal education - the remaining will never see the inside of a school.
Out of 164.7 million Pakistanis, 92 million adults of age 15 years and above (58%) are illiterate.
47% of all male adults of age 15 years and above are illiterate whereas for females the percentage is as high as 72%.
3 out of every 10 children aged 5-9 years in Pakistan do not go to school.
2 out of every 8 children aged 10-19 years never see the inside of a classroom.
Once in school, the drop out rate is very high (only 2 out of 10 reach class 5).
The state of government schools is very poor; 16.75% of them are without a proper building, 46% without a boundary wall, 39% without water, 62% without electricity and there is frequent absenteeism of teachers.
Government Expenditure on Education is only 2.49% of GDP.
