SINDH EDUCATION VISION 2030

SINDH YOUTH NETWORK

SYN SINDH OF 2030

 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

A good title page can be effective!!!

PROPOSED

SINDH EDUCATION VISION 2030

_________________________________________________________

June 2015
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

This is a draft vision for Sindh education, prepared for distribution to education stakeholders across
the province for comments, suggestions and feedback.

Share your feedback on the Vision at

Email/web
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

Acknowledgement

I feel privileged that SYN believed in me for producing the Sindh Education Vision 2030 in the light
of Sindh Education Conference held in February 2015.

I acknowledge the assistance attained from the available appropriate documents and other related
materials, mentioned in the end of this document, which guided me script the Sindh Education Vision
2030. I appreciate the input of participants of SYN’s Education Conference 2015 coming from
different walks of life, which facilitated me in establishing the direction of Sindh education vision
2030.

As education for all is not the goal of Sindh alone so the United Nations’ education charters and
similar frameworks along with other most relevant available material on web were critically reviewed
and at times reproduced and /or customized in the best possible manner to value this vision document.

I especially recognize the efforts of SYN team, especially Mr. Akhtar Shaikh who consistently pushed
me to come up with this vision document.

In the end, I thank my family who spared me time to volunteer this piece of work.

Shahid Panhwar
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

Preamble

Constitution of Pakistan makes education a basic human right for every citizen of the state. Further;
Eighteenth constitutional amendment in year 2010 committed to free and compulsory education for all
children of age 5 to 16. Despite constitutional obligation; millions of children are out of school and
the education system continues to dilapidate. On the other hand, the madrasa (religious school) sector
is booming, with no meaningful efforts made to regulate the seminaries, many of which fanning
religious and sectarian hatred. Natural disasters have exacerbated the gloomy state of education
wherein; floods have ruined school buildings, disrupting the education of hundreds of thousands of
children.

According to latest ASER report, 27% of 6-16 years age children are out of school and Sindh keeps
the 2nd last position among the eight provincial units of Pakistan; Islamabad, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan,
Punjab, KPK, FATA, Sindh and Baluchistan. Pakistan is far from meeting its Millennium
Development Goal (MDG) of providing universal primary education by 2015. There are significant
gender disparities and differences between rural and urban areas. The combined federal/provincial
budgetary allocation to education is the lowest in South Asia, at 2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product
(GDP).

If Pakistan, as per article 25A of the constitution, is to provide free and compulsory education to all
children of age 5-16 years, it must reform a system spoiled by teacher absenteeism, poorly maintained
schools, ghost teachers and schools that exist only on paper and outdated curriculum.

The 18th constitutional amendment devolved legislative and executive authority over education to the
provinces to make it more responsive to local needs but the situation in Sindh province hasn’t
improved yet. The annual development plans keep increasing every year and donor money has been
injected in the name of reforms to invigorate the defunct education system but in vain; no tangible
improvement is witnessed.

The public education system needs to foster a tolerant community, capable of competing in the labor
market and supportive of democratic standards within the country and peace with the outside world.

Given the magnitude of challenges, provincial government needs to become the principal driver of the
reform agenda. It should reverse decades of neglect by giving government-run schools due attention
and provide basic facilities such as class rooms, boundary walls, toilets, stationery etc. They should
also tackle teacher absenteeism and curb corruption in appointments, postings and transfers.

Additionally, curriculum reform is essential and overdue. Provincial government must ensure that
textbooks and teachers no longer convey an intolerant religious discourse and a distorted narrative,
based on hatred of imagined enemies, local and foreign.

Author
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

Rationale

UN1 has released facts against MDG Goal-2: Achieve Universal Primary Education, which targeted
that “by 2015 children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of
primary schooling”.

It tells us some encouraging fact;

- Literacy rates among adults and youths are on the rise and gender gaps are narrowing.

- New national data show the number of out-of-school children dropped from 102 million to 57
million from 2000 to 2011.

- Primary education enrolment in developing countries reached 90 per cent in 2010.

The UN report also described the working approaches which led developing countries reach to the
above promising facts. It mentioned the working approaches of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia,
Brazil, Guatemala and Tanzania but there was no mention of Pakistan. Such scenario reflects the fact
that Pakistan has least portion in these inspiring facts.

Facts: Quantitative

MDG2 in Pakistan2 aims to achieve by 2015;

i- 100 percent primary school enrolment,

ii- 100 percent completion of education from grades 1-5 and
iii-88 percent literacy rate. For all these 3 indicators

Unfortunately; the report declares the status on these 3 indicators as “off track”. It stated;

”The country is off-track on all three indicators. Rates of primary enrolment and completion increased
up to the mid-2000s but thereafter slowed and fluctuated to 57 percent and 50 percent in 2011/12. The
literacy rate is 58 percent overall, but this is highly skewed towards males – 70 percent of males are
literate compared to 47 percent of females.”

1
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/Goal_2_fs.pdf (accessed on 06-04-2015)
2
Pakistan Millennium Development Goals Report 2013
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Statistics on same indicators for the year 2012-13 are given in below table.

From the above data it is evident that Sindh is not progressing even on basic education indicators at
least for the last 15 years. The net primary enrollment rate reached at 52% in 2013 from 42% in 2002.
However; completion or survival rate stood at 53% in 2012 against 47% in 2004 whereas; literacy rate
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

is reported 60% in 2013 which was 46% in 2002. The MDG targets under these indicators were
100%, 100% and 88% respectively by 2015. Sindh remains far behind in achieving the MDG targets.

Whereas; ASER3 Pakistan reports the following facts;

- 63% children of age 3-5 years are out of school which shows an increase of 4% from 2013.
- 23% children of age 6-10 years are out of school which shows decrease of 1% from 2013.
- 27% children of age 6-16 years are out of school which shows decrease of 2% from 2013.

The report also tells that the enrollment rate of Sindh remains 2 nd last among all provinces of the
country including ICT, AJK, GB and FATA.

It is further reported that 83% children of age 6-16 years are enrolled in public schools whereas; only
17% are in private or non-state institutions. While class wise enrollment shows a decreasing trend
with 26% enrolled in class which is left with only 3% in class 10.

Facts: Qualitative

According to ASER 2014;

- 41% children of Class 5 could read a story in Sindhi/Urdu. Sindh has the 6 th rank in learning level
(Urdu/Sindhi/Pashto) of children enrolled in class 5 in the country.

- 24% children of Class 5 could read a sentence in English. Sindh has the lowest learning level
(English) of children, enrolled in class 5 in the country.

- 31% children of Class 5 could do a 2-digit division. Sindh has the 7th rank in learning level
(Arithmetic) of children, enrolled in class 5 in the country.

- 25% girls could read at least words in English whereas; 31% boys could read the same.

- 29% girls could read at least sentences in Sindhi/Urdu whereas; 36% boys could read the same.

- 25% girls could do at least subtraction in arithmetic whereas; 32% boys could do the same.

- 73% children of Class 5 in private schools could read a story in Sindhi/Urdu whereas; only 37%
children of Class 5 in government schools could read the same.

- 55% children of Class 5 in private schools could read at least sentences in English whereas; only
19% children of Class 5 in government schools could read the same.

- 62% children of Class 5 in private schools could do at least divisions in arithmetic whereas; only
26% children of Class 5 in government schools could do the same.

3
Annual Status of Education Report: ASER a citizen led large scale household survey at national level aimed at improving the state of
learning outcomes of children. It is intended to get reliable estimates of the status of children’s schooling and basic learning (reading and
arithmetic level) at the district level. It works with citizens to foster nationwide conversation and actions on learning in collaboration with
Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) and Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA).
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Sindh Education Sector Plan (SESP) 2014–18 illustrates the following statistics;
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

Sindh Education Sector Budget Allocations

All numbers in million rupees

2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15

Total Budget 49,723 58,854 63,739 77,987 127,373 115,908 132,341  126,117

Recurrent 43,083 48,628 54,299 68,787 110,953 103,689 118,743  115,408

87% 83% 85% 88% 87% 89% 90% 92%

Development 6,640 10,226 9,440 9,200 16,420 12,219 13,598 10,709

13% 17% 15% 12% 13% 11% 10% 8%

The above table shows budget estimates for education sector annually for the last 8 years from year
2007-08. It shows the decreasing trend in allocations for development side of the budget whereas; the
recurrent allocations taking the major share upto 902% of the total allocation. It is worth mentioning
here that for most of the years the development part of the budget allocations could not be utilized
fully.

Sindh Youth Network (SYN), a youth led non-profit organization organized Sindh Education
Conference in February 2015 which aimed at formulating Sindh Education Vision 2030. The youth
and their representatives in the conference also highlighted following key challenges to Education in
Sindh;
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

- Schools lack teachers

- Poor standard of education
- Classified standard of education
- Poverty
- Status quo development of education
- Absenteeism of teachers
- Access to educational institutes
- Drop out ratio.
- Corruption in education department, including recruitment of teachers and distribution of
funds
- Lack of reponsibility by state
- Lack of quality education
- Lack of clear objectives of education
- Poor monitoring mechanism in education system
- Using unfair means during examinations
- Inadequate ratio of teachers
- Lack of accountability, merit and transparency in education system.
- Inadequate salaries and lack of incentives for teacher
- Poor infrastructure of schools
- Shortage of secondary and higher secondary schools (there are 47,000 schools; 90% i.e.
47,000 schools are primary level and only 3,000 schools are secondary and higher secondary
level)
- We should finish status of schools such like yellow school etc. [What are yellow schools]
- Government spends Rs. 1,300 on a child per month, while private schools spend Rs. 800 on a
child per month. [what is the concern here]

Under Article 25A of the Constitution of Pakistan; two significant provisions impacting education
have been introduced.

1. Education has been made a basic human right for every citizen of the state.
2. It is now the state’s responsibility to “provide free and compulsory education to all children
of the age of 5 to 16 years in such a manner as may be determined by law”.

The 18th Amendment omits and removes the Concurrent Legislative List thereby transferring
responsibilities from the Federal Government to the provinces. The omission of entry 38 & 39 of the
Concurrent lists effectively reassigns curriculum, syllabus, planning, policy, centers of excellence,
standards of education and Islamic education to the provinces. The role of the federal government has
been restricted to one of coordination, administration of education in federally controlled areas,
education of Pakistanis in foreign universities, standards of education in Higher Education and the
responsibility to ensure that education is provided as per Article 25-A of the constitution which makes
the provision of education justifiable. The state is therefore legally liable to fulfill its obligations to
provide education.

In order to fulfill the constitutional obligation, following policy documents and programs are currently
in place by federal and provincial governments but their implementation, transparency and
accountability bears a big question mark.
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

i- National Education Policy 2009

ii- Sindh Free & compulsory education act 2013
iii- Teachers’ Instruction manual
iv- The Sindh School Education Standards and Curriculum Act 2014
v- Sindh Education Sector Plan 2014 – 18
vi- Annual Development Plans
vii- Sindh Education Foundation
a. Adopt a school program
b. Child Labor Education Program
c. Early Learning Program
d. Integrated Early Learning Program
e. Promoting Private Schooling in Rural Sindh Project
f. Rural Based Community Schools
g. Women’s Literacy and Empowerment Program
viii- Textbook and Learning Material Policy
ix- Sindh Curriculum Implementation Framework
x- Education Sector Reforms Program
a. Standardized Achievement Test
b. Girls Stipend
c. Free Textbooks
d. School Consolidation
e. Education Management and SMCs
f. School Specific Budget
xi- Sindh Basic Education Program
a. Construction of 2010 floods affected schools
b. Policy reforms to merge, consolidate and upgrade schools
c. Improvement in early grade reading in primary schools
d. Community mobilization, with focus on increasing girls enrolment and improving
nutritional status of children

The key roles devolved at the provincial tier as a result of 18 th amendment mainly include; policy
formulation, planning, curriculum development.

Despite the above mentioned efforts education in Sindh has been deteriorating. The lack of
development and innovation is clearly evident from the above given facts and despite various talks
and changes in policies, in practice, nothing has changed. A dialogue on “Governance of Education in
Sindh” led by Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) in collaboration with Aga Khan University in mid
2012 involving renowned experts indicated the problem with education in Sindh. However, most of
the dialogue panelists were experts in higher education and none on primary education. An excerpt
from the dialogue is reproduced here with minor editing for larger propagation;

Pakistan despite being a signatory to the MDG, will fail to achieve the goals set out because of
a flawed policy and poor governance. Money was not the problem to the solution as, 26
countries which have less income per capita than Pakistan has better education statistics.
Moreover, in the context of Pakistan, Sindh is consistently faring worse than other provinces.
Governance in Sindh needs to improve immediately. Government and the private sector need to
cooperate to make the system more transparent and efficient with access and quality of
education receiving greater attention.
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

Pakistan’s education system faces long-standing problems in access, quality, and equal opportunity at
every level: primary and secondary schools, higher education and vocational education. In spite of
recent encouraging trends, such as the rapid spread of private schooling and an expansion of higher
education opportunities, systemic reform remains stubbornly elusive. The inability of successive
governments to reform the system has created severe constraints for Pakistan’s economic and societal
development. An inability to act now will increase the problems manifold in the future, due to a
burgeoning youth population and increasing competitive pressures from other developing countries
that are devoting more attention to education.

We are not discussing the education system reform in Sindh; but are harvesting the optimum results
from the existing system by devising an efficient strategy that can lead us to achieve the objectives.
This may involve all stakeholders – government, civil society and donors – to initiate the
improvement. However, we emphasize, that such effort shall improve primary, secondary, higher
secondary and vocational education. It is believed that success is achievable, if government and civil
society act together to improve. For instance, both NGOs and think tanks dedicated solely to
educational advocacy, or private watchdog groups that focus mainly on education get involved in such
process. This inclusiveness is useful as it suggests mechanisms for the education system that can
strengthen the demand side of education, where parents and civil society organize themselves to
demand better planning, delivery and monitoring of their children’s education.

Sindh Education Vision 2030

Providing equal opportunity of quality education to all

children and helping them explore their full potential

Majority of the population of Sindh lives in the rural areas/villages. Therefore, the vision of future
Sindh focuses on rural areas and their inhabitants. It is painful to state that our development, our
democracy, and our education have all become irrelevant to millions of people inhabiting these
villages. But once we decide to approach them in the right spirit they are bound to respond, and rise to
end their sufferings. Naturally in the whole process of rebuilding villages, education will have the
most vital part to play, because it alone can prepare people’s mind to receive new ideas, and accept
new tools, new relationships, and new forms of organization and contribute into the prosperity of
nation.

Education is a vital investment for human and economic development and is influenced by the
environment within which it exists. Changes in technology, labor market patterns and general global
environment, all require policy responses. Traditions, culture and faith all reflect upon the education
system and at the same time are also affected by them. The element of continuity and change remains
perpetual and it is up to the society to determine its pace and direction.

The social, political and official structures also impinge on the effectiveness of the education system.
The education policy, therefore, needs to identify the existing challenges. Firstly, existing education
policy does not produce the desired educational results and the performance remains deficient in
several key aspects including access, quality and equity of educational opportunities. Secondly, the
international challenges like Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4, Dakar Framework of Action
Education for All (EFA) Goals and the challenges triggered by globalization and dire need of the
current times to become a knowledge full society compel for a renewed commitment to enhance
quality education for all.

4
Formerly MDGs
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On governance, the future policies shall discuss the issue of inter-tier responsibilities wherein the
respective roles and functions of the provincial-district governments continue to be not clear or
ineffective. Confusion has been compounded, especially, at the provincial-district levels mainly
because the latter was not supported by a clear articulation of strategies. The other issue identified in
governance is the fragmentation of institutions etc. for management of various sub-sectors of
education and, at times, within each sub-sector thus problems related to management and planning are
need to be resolved. [I don’t understand this paragraph]

The purpose of this vision document is to come up with broader parameters which drive the education
of the province in the right direction. This document is not to create any euphoric ideas about
education but to sensitize the stakeholders to progress in the right direction. Many of the interventions
have already been initiated in reforms during the process, most notably in the domains of curriculum
development, textbook/learning materials policy, provision of missing facilities.

Achievement of the vision would largely depend on the highest level of commitment to the sector.
Already there have been interventions in the name of reforms throughout province in the public sector
education, which now need to be implemented in its true letter & spirit. Efficient strategic planning
and realistic implementation would lead us to achieve our vision and improve education outcomes for
the children of province.

Keeping in view the current situation, gaps in the education and the need of province in the current
time of high technological competition SYN realized to construct a vision based on the faith that
Sindh will improve in education, especially primary education by 2030 and the task will be taken up
in a mission mode. By 2030, Sindh will have 100% enrollment of girls and boys under elementary
education and improved quality of education supplemented by enhanced adult literacy. Sindh
Education Vision 2030 is framed with an aim to guide the concerned stakeholders to take necessary
steps for the betterment of education across the province. Along with increasing the enrollment and
improving the quality of education, efforts shall also be made upon to align the school curriculum in a
way that should promote peace, harmony, social cohesion and composite culture. Technical and
vocational training may be integrated with the academics at all levels.

Educational management systems will be made more sensitive, transparent and learner friendly and
will focus on to provide academic support to students. The overall education vision- 2030 is to create
a learning environment in public education system where children get an opportunity to explore their
potential.

By 2030, Sindh shall have 100% education for the age group 5 to 16. Education shall empower
learners for self-growth and higher quality of living.

This vision document primarily emphasis upon improving primary, secondary and higher secondary
education, while envisaging the following challenges;

1- Attaining 100% enrollment – education for all5

2- Equal opportunity for all
3- Quality education for all
4- Enhance adult literacy rate

Core Areas of Focus

5
All refers here to “all girls and boys without any discrimination on the basis of religion, creed, cast and
language”.
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

 With elementary education becoming universal, more efforts shall be put to provide quality
education, parent education, vocational education and teacher education.

 Intensive efforts shall be made to provide educational environment using information and
communication technologies.

 School curriculum shall not unnecessary overload students. At the same time it shall have
comparative national standard that shall promote critical and independent thinking.

 Pre-primary education and early childhood education shall also be taken into high
consideration as an important element of public education system.

 Functional adult education shall formally be introduced as a primary focus area.

 Teacher education programs, both Pre and In-service, shall be focused to make them relevant
and rigorous. In-service programs shall become more communication technology oriented
which utilizes internet facilities.

 Educational management shall become efficient, effective, sensitive, responsive, performance

oriented facilitated by a comprehensive computer aided educational management information
system.

 Preservation, protection and modification of indigenous knowledge and composite culture

shall become an important objective of education.

Some basic requirements which are essential in addressing the above four challenges to achieve the
vision of “Providing equal opportunity of quality education to all children helping them explore their
full potential” and fulfill the constitutional obligation of “Providing free and compulsory education to
all children of the age of 5 to 16 years”.

i. Accessibility: Enrolment and attendance, especially for girls, is particularly critical where
school distance becomes a hurdle to attend the school on daily basis. Lack of safe
transportation is a major factor in teacher absenteeism which also affects children’s
attendance and cause fatigue. 

ii. Number of Schools: and classrooms in the existing school are insufficient to accommodate
all 5-16 years age children. Student-school ratio for primary, secondary and elementary
education does not meet the required standards.

iii. Number of Teachers: Similar to number of schools, the number of teachers is also
inadequate. A primary school which institutes five classes, there are only two teachers who
teach all five classes. The less number of classrooms further aggravate the situation.

iv. Teacher Absenteeism/Ghost Teachers: There are as much as around 4,000 ghost teachers
who do not attend school whereas; many other teachers are habitual for absenteeism.

v. Missing Facilities: Only 54% schools have the toilets, 47% schools have drinking water
facility, 75% schools have boundary walls, 25% schools have playgrounds and 87% schools
are with SMCs. The quality of these facilities and/or maintenance is a separate issue to
discuss.
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

vi. Sanitation: Among other physical facilities, toilets shall equally be taken seriously. This has
been observed that non availability of toilets, especially for girl students remains a
discouraging factor to attend school for many out of school girls. 

vii. Life Threat: While stating the condition of school buildings above in table: 6.7; it
surprisingly reveals that 6,375 school building are in dangerous condition. This number is
separate from 18,838 building which need repair.

viii. School Management Committees (SMCs): SMCs exist for most of the schools are either
nonfunctional or exist in papers.

ix. Confidence in Education Department: poor management and political involvement in day
to day matters, education department is unable to perform efficiently. Close coordination
between community and the department in information sharing can enhance the performance
of the department.

x. Awareness in General: Specific communities and public in general is not aware of the
importance of education. The biggest factor to the question why children are not in school is
economic constraints, and the fact that kids often need to choose between work and school.
We need to get better at promoting the value of education to parents and children.

xi. Mobilize parents: For girls, parents are the biggest impediment to their education. More than
half of girls who are out of school lack either parental consent or ability to pay schools fees.
We need to advocate more for parents to get involved with community schools – whether they
are on the management committee or not. They can be engaged in qualitative data collection.

xii. Involve Teachers: There are good teachers in the system, what they need to be more
effective? What needs to change for them to increase motivation and spend more time in the
classroom? This feedback is not adequately collected or used at the moment. Government
shall devise a mechanism to obtain teachers’ feedback and consult them while developing
new programs.

xiii. Set Universal Minimum Standards for Schools: What makes a primary or a secondary
school? Currently, you see a school under a tree with two teachers in one place but a primary
school with a huge building and many teachers in another place - the same is the case for
curriculum, teachers’ qualifications and examinations. Government, community and private
schools should have to adhere to the same basic principles.

xiv. Hold politicians accountable: Provincial government may have good intentions but no one’s
political stakes are invested in delivering the quality education to gain better set of outcomes.
Until we can get Pakistani leaders to view a dysfunctional education regime as a genuine
political liability, we will keep grasping at non-solution.

Strategic Approach

In order to achieve the above focus areas, some strategies need to be illustrated. The target is huge but
one shall dream BIG and take first step towards achieving it. It is an obvious fact that the mission of
“Quality Education for All” cannot be accomplished without a political will and sincere & viable
effort of provincial government. However; SYN with a mission “to organize, engage and prepare
youth to become future leaders” aims to intervene for the betterment of education in Sindh. This
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

vision document doesn’t contain any utopian actions but advocates paying attention to the basic
requirements of gender sensitive and equitable quality education. There is nothing new, in terms of
issues of education, to convey the government but to emphasize on the need to improve the
performance of the governance and service delivery. Provincial government has already taken steps in
achieving these aspirations but those have been partly inadequate, partly ad-hoc and ineffective. These
need to be reiterated and reinforced now. Such ongoing initiatives of provincial government are
already mentioned above.

Education is a fundamental human right of all people – of value in and of itself, for improving the
quality of life, and as an essential part of social and human development. The provision of basic
education, whether it be formally or non-formally delivered, is a core responsibility of the state with
active and genuine collaboration of parents, communities, and civil society. All people, especially
those most disadvantaged and excluded, must be guaranteed access to a basic education of decent
quality6.

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)

At all stages of life, children should be provided with quality, comprehensive, integrated care and
education. Child-centered, family-focused, community-based, holistic care and education of pre-
school children is essential for securing the well-being and rights of all children, and should be
supported by national policies and sufficient funds. This should be the result of synergistic partnership
among families, communities, civil society, NGOs and the government. ECCE programs, whether
they be family or community based, or linked to schools or learning centers, must focus on caring for
and educating the whole child, from birth to school entry. These programs must promote the child’s
optimum physical, psycho-social, emotional, cognitive and linguistic development in ways that are
culturally and socially relevant. Investments in capacity-building to improve the quality of care and
education through the diverse program options and services for young children and families are
critical. Improved data-gathering and analysis of both program access and quality indicators, regular
monitoring of program implementation and regulatory frameworks linked to both local and national
systems are essential. ECCE programs should remain flexible and adaptable to the needs of pre-school
children and not become mere extensions of formal school systems. In addition, they should be
developmentally appropriate and responsive to the needs and interests of children, and should be
firmly anchored on the family and community as the child’s primary caring and learning environment.

Universal Basic Education

All must have the opportunity to receive a basic education of good quality that focuses on the ‘whole’
person, including health, nutrition and cognitive and psycho-social development. In order for this to
happen, education systems must be able to adapt to the individual needs of child, youth and adult
learners, by incorporating formal and non-formal approaches and programs within an integrated and
inclusive system of basic education. A strong and serious commitment must be made to include the
excluded. Clearer analyses must be made of reasons for exclusion, including issues such as language
of instruction, and there must be more innovative approaches made to address these reasons. Greater,
more explicit focus and commitment must be given to the identification of unreached children who
are not in school and to the promotion of innovative and varied approaches by government and NGOs
to meet their diverse educational needs. There is a need to improve demand as well as increase supply
through the closer collaboration and genuine involvement of parents, communities and the private

6
UNESCO: Asia and Pacific Regional Framework for Action: Education for All; Guiding Principles, Specific Goals and Targets
for 2015
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sector in education. There is also a need to mitigate the direct and indirect costs of basic education,
especially for the disadvantaged. In order to achieve universal basic education, systems must become
more internally and externally efficient, and focus more sharply on retaining children in school.

Primary/Elementary and Secondary Education

Quality Education for All shall be given the highest priority. Need of the time is to take up the
elementary education as a cause and immediately launch interventions as enrolment drives,
community awareness campaigns and incentive schemes. Clear and realistic targets shall be set in
relation to the enrollment of out of school children and completion of the elementary standards. These
targets may be set on the basis of priority areas and scale up for whole province periodically. Such
targets may pay special attention to enroll the poor children, slum dwellers and working children.
Besides setting up the targets, the most important activity to undertaken shall be the effective
monitoring of the aforesaid interventions.

Demand for secondary education depends upon the performance of education at elementary stage. So
it is again most crucial to focus all attention to improve primary level education. The desired results at
primary levels would encounter the issue of increased demand for places in secondary schools. Proper
planning and development is essential here to accommodate the future needs efficiently. Apart from
the quantitative dimension, the secondary education will also face the demand for quality of
education.

Scrap Teaching in English

We focus on English too much which is why we’ve ended up with so much rote learning. Many
teachers are trying to teach in a language they’re not even fully competent in. Meanwhile, children
who are confident in their own language are condemned as dumb if they can’t pick up English.

Innovative Parent Education Programs

This action area is based on the assumption that parents want to increase their awareness about
various educational matters. If appropriate educational awareness programs, beyond SMCs, are
telecast and made available to the general public especially parents, it will help them to become better
productive members of the society. A society cannot be considered a knowledge society unless the
members of the society have facilities and opportunities for lifelong learning. With the coming up of
educational channels, state should be in a position to offer educational programs of various types
through cable and computer networks. This means there would be programs for adults, parents, etc.
and these programs should be telecast round the clock.

Special Programs for Gifted and Talented Students

It is known to everyone that the real treasure of a country is its youth and specially those youth who
are gifted and talented. Any system which does not nurture the giftedness and the talent of its youth
can never dream of becoming a progressive and forward-looking society. There shall be exclusive
programs which are geared to search and nurture national talent both in science and social science
streams. It is, therefore, proposed that to celebrate “knowledge society” the nation must develop a
comprehensive program to identify, nurture and support the talent at UC, Tehsil and district level.

Education of Women and Girls: Eliminating of Gender Disparities

 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

Providing education to girls and ensuring their full enrolment is the educational objective to be
attained by 2030. At present, the dropout rate of girls is high especially after class 5. One must
remember that if we educate a boy we educate a person and if we educate a girl we educate the
family. Article 25A of the Constitution provides free and compulsory education to all children of the
age of 5 to 16 years. Education for All (UNESCO 1990) highlights education for women claiming that
it is impossible to have the educated society if there are no educated women. It is essential to
eliminate systemic gender disparities, where they persist, amongst girls and boys throughout the
education system – in enrolment, achievement and completion; in teacher training and career
development; in curriculum, and learning practices and learning processes. This requires better
appreciation of the role of education as an instrument of women’s equality and empowerment.
Furthermore, specific measures should be taken to ensure the inclusion of women and girls with
disabilities in all educational processes. Where possible, also, specific programs, both formal and non-
formal in approach, should be developed to target the increased enrolment, retention and completion
of education by girls and women.

Education of Minorities, Scheduled Castes, and Other Disadvantaged Groups

For achieving cohesive and productive society, special programs have to be launched for the
minorities, scheduled castes, and other disadvantaged groups. This can be done by providing positive
protective discrimination and also by integrating socio-cultural and linguistic specificities into
pedagogical and curricular requirements. Contextualization of curriculum will be very important if
drop-out rate of scheduled castes and minorities is to be arrested. Facilities like mid-day meals
incentive schemes and of residential schools will have to be augmented.

Providing and Promoting Indigenous Knowledge

In the knowledge society communities will assess education in quality and utility as per their own
norms. Mere education does not convey much meaning to the parents and communities. Children
rarely learn anything substantial of their own environment, flora and fauna, social and cultural
context, local resources, skills, traditions, festivals and economic scenario. Had we realized the
significance of acquainting children with the indigenous techniques of water resource management,
traditional method of preparing fertilizers, preserving food grains, utilizing herbs and ensuring
cleanliness and developing a sense of attachment and responsibility towards people and the
community, the scenario would have been very different in every sphere of human development. We
would not have landed up in such a crisis as the water famine, wastage of food grains and non-
availability of health support to the majority of the people.

The Report of UNESCO Commission on Education for 21st Century entitled “Learning – The
Treasure Within” pleads for an education which is ‘rooted to culture and committed to progress.”

Curriculum: Review, Revision and Development

School level resource institutions along with Sindh Text Book Board shall have to develop a
mechanism for curriculum review, revision and development at all levels, which should expose
students to latest global developments as well as to indigenous knowledge. Curriculum shall pay
attention to indigenous tradition and enormous amount of wisdom and experience that has been drawn
from various regions and sections of the society. Such Curriculum would gradually build in students
higher levels of awareness from animality to humanity to rationality to civility to divinity. A
Curriculum should make students aware of positive and critical thinking and the harms of negativity
and negative thinking. Curriculum shall be so designed that it shall neither load students physically
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

nor load them with non-comprehension, and irrelevance. Curriculum must stress on joyful learning,
functional science and functional mathematics. It shall not unmindfully reject memorization. A
mechanism shall be evolved to ensure that student curriculum at all levels along with curriculum of
teacher education gets reviewed, revised and updated at least every five years or as and when
required. It may also be stressed that Curriculum in school education provides enough stress and
importance to computer education, information and communication technologies. It proposed to that
computer education may be introduced in a gradual manner and linked with school libraries.

Teacher Education

The focus of teacher training shall become more school specific. Teacher education programs shall
offer inputs so that the teachers become more commitment oriented. All teacher education Programs;
pre-service as well as in-service shall have substantial input of information and communication
technology. The thrust of teacher education programs shall be to develop thinking capabilities. Such
teacher education programs are aimed at developing a new insight about plurality of perspectives in
teachers; which means each individual is unique and different from the other.

Adult Education

We shall strive to increase the literacy rate by 2030, if cannot commit to eradicate it completely.
Government shall initiate comprehensive adult education programs including parent education. One
set of adult education programs shall relate to post literacy education; and another set of program shall
be vocational and technical in nature. The third type of program shall be related to life enrichment
activities etc. Such new initiatives will call for setting up community colleges in each district. Adult
education as literacy activity should continue till we achieve 100% literacy. The post literacy phase
should enhance adults reading, writing capabilities, as well as give them an adequate orientation about
social and cultural environment. The third phase of functional literacy will be to provide specific
inputs to specific target groups. For example; functional programs may be designed in computers,
literacy, agriculture, horticulture and other vocational skills, etc. The important thing while designing
these programs is to ensure that under these programs the learners are offered specific content which
meet their vocational, professional and interest needs. In a way, functional programs become the
beginning point for life enrichment leading towards poverty alleviation.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

Optimum utilization of resources made available for education depends upon the priority to quality as
compared expansion. There is an excessive dependence on the examination based outcome indicators.
Examinations for certification do not indicate the changes in the quality of the education. The system
has no database on the school outcomes beyond numbers. Even to get feedback for curriculum
revision, one needs indicators of processes and outcomes at given points of time. Serious efforts
should be made to generate such data which shall help in strategic planning. Such database shall be
followed by quality audit of schools across the province. Quality audit should focus on functional
input factors, the education process itself and obtaining achievement levels based on standardized
achievement tests. At present, to some extent, ASER is putting all its efforts in assessing the quality of
education at primary levels which contain some parameters related to quality. This has to be
supplemented by the provincial education department by strengthening its MEL systems. Such
learning system shall pay special attention to quality improvement of teaching in English,
mathematics, science and computer education.

Educational Management
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

Education management, for that matter, any management system whether in education or industry or
health or social sector, has to abandon its lethargic culture. It should optimize resource utilization
rather than saving resources, it should meet objectives and criteria rather than show internal
efficiency, it should satisfy needs rather than reduce costs. Management should see a problem in the
holistic manner rather than offer solutions for bits & pieces and it should create alternatives rather
than follow holy procedures. Education management must become more effective doing the right
things rather than being more efficient. Educational management would need a paradigm shift. It must
create a culture of performance and has to be efficient, effective, transparent, accountable and
sensitive to future needs.

SYN Plan of Action

In order to achieve the education goal, Sindh education vision 2030 suggests a movement which shall
involve all segments of society for the betterment of education. This shall include; parents, students,
teachers, youth, professionals, parliamentarians, religious leaders, women, local leaders, government
& non-government organizations and community in general.

Let's Educate Sindh is an awareness program of Sindh Youth Network; which aims to build on and
strengthen the emerging youth movement for education. This program has three tools of educational
awareness and development;

i. Advocacy campaigning,
ii. Develop community based schools and
iii. Organize Sindh Education Conference on yearly basis.

Sindh Education Vision 2030 launches the Lets Educate Sindh Movement (LESMOV) that pledges to
strive for the betterment of public education through awareness, advocacy, lobbying, counselling and
social pressure.

Some key actions to better education in Sindh are suggested below;

- Conduct school specific fact finding missions

- Offer services to ASER Pakistan in assessment survey for quality of education
- Arrange Teacher, Student, Parent appreciation awards
- School specific educational, social, cultural and environmental activities
- Organize walks and rallies
- Hold School specific parent, teacher, student conventions
- Set-up school specific, UC, taluka and district level education watch committees – to work as
pressure groups as well.
- Involve local politicians of repute in school specific identified matters/issues; they can be
engaged by;

i. Writing them one by one

ii. Writing to the concerned parliamentary committee
iii. Sharing information to be debated in the parliament
iv. Inviting them to public meetings; seminars, workshops and conferences etc.
v. Meeting them
vi. Facilitating them in understanding the issue(s)
vii. Appreciating & Criticizing
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

viii. Following-up
ix. Seeking support of others
Politicians & Parliamentarians shall be deliberated to send their children to public school of their
respective area as a matter of ensuring their commitment of improving public education in the
province.
 Sindh Education Vision 2030 – Draft

Bibliography

1. 10 Ideas for 21st Century Education; Innovation Unit: www.innovationunit.org

2. ASER Report 2014; Provincial Comparison

3. ASER National Report 2014

4. Complete Report Pakistan Social & Living Standards Measurement Survey 2011-12

5. Constitution of Pakistan

6. DAKAR Framework for Action 2000

7. Educational-Dialogue on Governance of Education in Sindh; Sindh Education Foundation

and The Aga Khan University - Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED)

8. Hyderabad Agenda on Reforms 2013; Alif Ailan & I-SAPS

9. National Education Policy 2009

10. Pakistan Economic Survey 2013-14

11. Pakistan MDGs Report 2013

12. Reform Support Unit, Sindh Education & Literacy Department

13. Sindh Education & Literacy Department, Government of Sindh website

14. Sindh Education Sector Plan 2014-18

15. Sindh Vision 2030

16. UNESCO’s Education for All; Global Monitoring Report 2015

17. Various other materials on primary education viz: research papers, newspaper articles,
discussions etc.