Islami Jamiat Talaba Pakistan Nazim-e-Aala Sahibzada Waseem Haider has expressed serious concern over the growing education crisis in the country and sent an open letter to the President Prime Minister provincial chief ministers federal and provincial education ministers and the chairman of the Higher Education Commission along with several political educational and social figures demanding the immediate implementation of an ‘educational emergency’.
The letter stated that Pakistan’s education system is facing a severe crisis and millions of students are deprived of basic educational facilities.
According to the letter around 25 million children in the country are currently out of school including 10 million from Punjab 7.4 million from Sindh 5 million from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 3.4 million from Balochistan.
Sahibzada Waseem Haider also expressed concern that Pakistan spends only 0.8 percent of its Gross Domestic Product GDP on education which is among the lowest rates in the world.
The letter highlighted the financial crisis faced by public universities continuous increases in fees growing incidents of drugs and harassment forced affidavits taken from students and flaws in the semester system.
He questioned why student unions remain active in several developing countries including India and Bangladesh while students in Pakistan continue to be deprived of this democratic right.
Islami Jamiat Talaba demanded that an educational emergency should immediately be declared in the country and at least 4 percent of GDP should be allocated to education. The organisation also demanded a minimum annual budget of Rs 200 billion for the Higher Education Commission.
It further called for a reduction in fees at public universities restoration of student unions democratic representation for youth reforms in the semester system and the introduction of third party monitoring to ensure effective accountability of teachers.
The letter also stressed the need for a uniform education system across the country.
It further urged authorities to take effective action against elements promoting hatred and division in educational institutions in order to ensure a safe and positive academic environment.
The Nazim-e-Aala of Islami Jamiat Talaba offered full cooperation to the government and relevant institutions and said the organisation is ready to play a serious and constructive role in educational reforms solving student issues and improving the national education system.
