Analysis of the Education Policies of Pakistan: Identifying Factors Behind Its Shortcomings and Failure to Achieve Goals

1. Introduction

Education has a significant impact on economic growth, social advancement, and cultural preservation, making it is essential to both personal and national advancement. Pakistan has been working toward developing a robust educational system ever since it gained independence in 1947. However, despite numerous reforms and policies,the country continues to face difficulties related to low literacy rates in comparison to the global average.

Following independence in 1947, the Public Schooling Meeting laid out aggressive targets to eliminate ignorance and improve logical and specialized training (Asif et al., 2020). The challenges, such as damage to infrastructure and an influx of refugees, resulted in prioritizing immediate needs over educational progress. Over the following decades, several education policies were introduced. The 1959 policy aimed at implementing mandatory primary education, faced challenges due to inadequate enforcement and insufficient funding (Riaz & Zaidi, 2023).

During the 1970s and 1980s, initiatives were taken to nationalize private instructive organizations and integrate Islamic schooling into the system. Although these measures were intended to establish a uniform education system, they resulted in bureaucratic inefficiencies and diverted attention from the critical need for scientific and technical education (Ahmed & Khan, 2020). Changes executed in the mid-2000s and 2009 focused on decentralizing instructive administration and upgrading quality; nonetheless, political strife and deficient assets hindered the advancement of these drives (Rizvi et al., 2022).

By and by, Pakistan's schooling area grapples with various difficulties, including insufficient financing, inadequate training quality, socio-social hindrances, and significant urban-rural divides. To comprehend the reasons behind Pakistan's education policy's difficulties in achieving its goals, a comprehensive examination of these obstacles is essential (Murtaza & Hui, 2021).

Background

The initiation of Pakistan's education system emerged in the midst of the disruption of a sector. The 1947 Public Schooling Gathering aimed to address increasing illiteracy levels and advance logical and specialized training. However, the immediate aftermath of independence brought numerous challenges that hindered the achievement of these goals (Ashraf et al., 2021). The country's focus was spread across various urgent needs, pushing education to a secondary priority.

In the 1950s, the government introduced its first comprehensive education policy in 1959, emphasizing mandatory primary education and vocational training. However, due to weak enforcement mechanisms and insufficient resource allocation, the policy fell short of its goals (Gohar & Sumayya, 2023). To create a more standardized education system, the 1970 policy sought to nationalize private schools and reform the curriculum. Despite these efforts, it led to bureaucratic inefficiencies and a decline in educational standards (Akram, 2020). The policy of 1979 made Islamic education a part of the core curriculum with the goal of teaching moral values while still meeting the needs of today's education. Be that as it may, this emphasis on strict schooling came to the detriment of fundamental logical and specialized training (Khan et al., 2021). The mid-2000s saw a shift towards decentralization with the Training Area Changes (2001-2005), which intended to further develop instruction quality through neighborhood administration. In any case, these changes were obstructed by political unsteadiness and absence of coordination among government and commonplace specialists (Rizvi et al., 2022).

The 2009 Public Training Strategy aimed for a comprehensive approach to increasing literacy rates and improving the educational infrastructure. Notwithstanding its aggressive objectives, the strategy was underfunded and ineffectively executed, leading to ongoing issues such as ghost schools and teacher absenteeism.(Zubairi, 2021). Additionally, socio-cultural barriers, such as gender gaps and rural-urban divides, made it even more difficult to provide high-quality education to all social groups (Tusinska, 2020).

Problem Statement

Pakistan's education sector has long been a focal point of concern due to its critical role in the nation's development and progress. Despite various reforms and policies aimed at improving educational outcomes, the country continues to face significant challenges in achieving its educational goals. These challenges manifest in various forms, including high dropout rates, inadequate infrastructure, and disparities in educational quality and access.

The education policy of Pakistan has not successfully met its intended objectives, leading to persistent issues within the education system. The overarching goal of these policies has been to enhance educational access, improve quality, and foster equitable opportunities for all students. However, the persistent failure to achieve these goals necessitates a comprehensive analysis to understand the root causes behind the policy shortcomings.

Research Question

What specific factors have contributed to the shortcomings of Pakistan's education policies, particularly in terms of policy formulation, execution, and resource allocation?

Research Objective

To investigate and analyze the underlying reasons behind the faltering of Pakistan's education policies, focusing on issues related to policy formulation, execution, and resource allocation.

Literature Review

Pakistan's education policies have been the subject of numerous studies, often focusing on common themes such as inadequate funding, poor implementation, and social and cultural barriers. A significant issue is policy inconsistency as a result of frequent government changes and political instability. Each new organization frequently presents new strategies without completely surveying the viability of past ones, leading to a lack of coherence and supported exertion (Akram & Yang, 2021).

Pakistan's education spending has historically been below international standards, with expenditures significantly lower than the UNESCO recommendation of 4-6% of GDP (UNESCO et al., 2021). The education system's infrastructure, teacher salaries, and availability of educational materials are all impacted by this persistent underfunding.

Another important issue is the quality of education. According to research, Pakistan's rote learning system does not foster creative thinking or critical thinking. Obsolete educational plans, absence of prepared instructors, and lacking showing techniques add to low training quality (Bakhsh et al., 2021). A World Bank examination of Pakistan's education system, for instance, reveals that students frequently score poor on international assessments as a result of these systemic issues (Murtaza & Hui, 2021).

Admittance to training, particularly for young ladies and rustic populaces, stays restricted. In spite of strategies advancing young ladies' schooling, social standards and customary orientation jobs frequently lead to higher dropout rates among young ladies. Early marriages and family responsibilities further exacerbate this issue. (Uddin et al., 2021). Particularly in rural areas, educational facilities and qualified teachers are severely lacking, and many schools lack essential amenities like electricity, water, and sanitation (UNESCO et al., 2021).

Political and administrative obstruction is another critical hindrance. Training strategies in Pakistan are much of the time impacted more by political thought processes than educational needs. Debasement inside the training area is inescapable, prompting misappropriation of assets and issues like ghost schools — schools that exist just on paper however get government financing (Ismail et al., 2020). These governance issues in Pakistan's education sector are detailed in a Transparency International report.

Pakistan lags behind its neighbors in terms of educational outcomes, according to comparison studies. Through targeted policies and consistent efforts, Bangladesh, for instance, has made significant progress in increasing literacy rates and the education of girls (UNESCO et al., 2021). Also, India's Right to Education Act ensures free and mandatory instruction for kids matured 6-14, prompting better instructive results (Agarwal & Chanda, 2022). Sri Lanka's high proficiency rate is credited to reliable strategy execution, huge interest in schooling, and an emphasis on educator preparation.

To address these challenges, a few suggestions have been proposed. Increasing education funding to at least 4% of Gross domestic product, as recommended by UNESCO, is vital (Akther, 2020). To improve the standard of education, comprehensive programs for teacher education are required. The development of critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities ought to be the primary focus of curriculum reform (Batool & Hina, 2022). Financial incentives and community-based programs both have the potential to lessen the financial burden that families face when it comes to paying for education. Reinforcing administration and laying out straightforward systems for reserve allotment and usage are fundamental to take out debasement and guarantee assets arrive at the planned recipients (Ismail et al., 2020).

Research Methodology

This research study investigates the reasons why educational policies in Pakistan have faltered and seeks to identify strategies for improving future education policies using secondary data. The methodology outlines the procedures for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting secondary data relevant to the case study. Data was collected from scholarly articles, books, government reports, organizational records and news articles for the current study.

Findings and Discussion

Why Pakistan's Education Policy Has Faltered?

Over the decades, Pakistan's education policy has faced numerous challenges, leading to the country's failure to achieve its lofty objectives. This has been made worse by a number of important factors, including political interference and inconsistent policy implementation, insufficient funding and sociocultural barriers. This part investigates these issues exhaustively.

Inconsistent Policy Implementation

One of the primary reasons behind the shortcomings of Pakistan's educational policies is the irregularity in their execution. Educational initiatives lack continuity as a result of frequent government changes and political instability. Each new administration frequently presents new strategies without thoroughly evaluating or proceeding with the endeavors of past ones, upsetting the momentum and progress of ongoing projects and drives.

For instance, the 1959 education policy emphasized mandatory primary education, but subsequent governments failed to fully implement the necessary enforcement mechanisms and allocate resources effectively.Similarly, political shifts and changing priorities undermined the ambitious goals of the 2009 National Education Policy, resulting in a fragmented and incomplete implementation (Khan et al., 2022b).

Insufficient Funding

Another critical issue is the constant underfunding of the education sector in Pakistan. Pakistan spends under 2.5% of its Gross Domestic Product to education, far beneath the UNESCO's recommendation of 4-6% (Elfert & Ydesen, 2023). The infrastructure, teacher salaries, and educational materials all are negatively impacted as a result of this inadequate funding.

The absence of monetary assets has prompted insufficient school offices, overcrowded classrooms, and a lack of qualified educators. Many schools, particularly in provincial regions, lack basic amenities like power, clean water, and sanitation, further blocking the learning environmnent (Murtaza & Hui, 2021). It is difficult to increase the quantity and quality of education offered across the nation without sufficient funding.

Poor Quality of Education and Educator Quality

The quality of schooling in Pakistan remains a significant concern. The rote learning system does not encourage critical thinking or creativity among students.Obsolete educational plans, absence of trained instructors, and inadequate teaching methods add to the inferior quality of training.

Studies have shown that Pakistani students frequently perform ineffectively on global appraisals, demonstrating substantial gaps in their knowledge and skills (Tahira et al., 2020). The World Bank's audit of Pakistan's schooling sector features foundational issues, for example, poor teacher training, lack of accountability, and insufficient monitoring of educational standards (Zubairi, 2021).

Educator quality is a significant determinant of educational outcomes.In Pakistan, lacking educator training and career development have altogether affected the adequacy of training programsTo provide an education of high quality, many teachers lack the necessary skills and knowledge. Training programs are frequently out of date and do not keep up with the latest pedagogical and educational practices.

To improve the standard of education, it is necessary to make investments in comprehensive programs for teacher education. To create an engaging and productive learning environment, educators must be equipped with cutting-edge teaching strategies and subject-specific knowledge (Tahira et al., 2020).

Socio-Cultural Barriers

Socio-cultural hindrances play a significant part in impeding educational advancement in Pakistan. Cultural norms and traditional gender roles frequently restrict girls' access to education, exacerbated by gender disparities. Despite policies promoting young girls' schooling, many families prioritize young boys' schooling, leading to higher dropout rates for girls due to early marriages or family responsibilities (Khan et al., 2022a).

Inequalities in educational opportunities are exacerbated by disparities between urban and rural areas. Rustic regions experience the ill effects of an extreme absence of interfering with educational and qualified educators. Schools in these locales are frequently under-resourced and struggle to attract and retain talented teachers. In less developed regions, inequalities are exacerbated and educational advancement is limited by the rural-urban divide (UNESCO et al., 2021).

Political and Bureaucratic Interference

Political and regulatory obstruction has been a determined boundary to viable training strategy execution in Pakistan. Education policies are often influenced by political agendas rather than genuine educational needs. Changes in government frequently lead to changes in policy direction, disturbing continuous projects and drives.

Debasement inside the instruction area is another critical issue. Reserves distributed for training are much of the time misused, prompting issues, for example, ghost schools — schools that exist just on paper yet get government financing. The presence of unfit instructors and boundless teacher absenteeism further sabotage the nature of schooling (Ismail et al., 2020).

Absence of Accountability

The shortfall of strong implementation components and accountability structures has additionally added to the disappointment of educational policies in Pakistan. Even when strategies are well planned, their execution frequently oscillates because of an absence of oversight and necessity. For instance, while the 1959 approach introduced mandatory primary education, there were no powerful measures to guarantee consistence or penalize unauthorized actions .

In addition, the goal of the early 2000s decentralization efforts was to make education governance more adaptable to local requirements. However, this decentralization frequently prompted differences in resource allocation and quality across regions because of the absence of a integrated public system and accountability components (Rizvi et al., 2022).

Inadequate Teacher Training and Professional Development

Pakistan's schooling strategy has confronted various challenges and deterrents over the years prompting its inability to accomplish its ambitious goals. This has been made worse by a number of important factors, including political interference and inconsistent policy implementation as well as insufficient funding and sociocultural barriers. These issues are examined in depth in this section.

Inconsistent Policy Implementation and Insufficient Funding

Inconsistent Policy Implementation is one of the main reasons why Pakistan's education policies have failed. For example, the 1959 training strategy focused on mandatory essential schooling, yet ensuing legislatures didn't totally finish the essential implementation tools and resource allocation.Similarly, political shifts and shifts in priorities undermined the ambitious goals of the 2009 National Education Policy, resulting in a fragmented and incomplete implementation (Khan et al., 2022a).

Another huge issue is the persistent underfunding of the schooling area. Pakistan spends under 2.5% of its Gross domestic product on schooling, far beneath the UNESCO proposal of 4-6% (Elfert & Ydesen, 2023). This inadequate financing influences all parts of the school system, including framework, instructor pay rates, and instructive materials.

Lack of Enforcement and Accountability

Besides, the decentralization endeavors in the mid-2000s expected to make schooling administration more receptive to nearby necessities. Notwithstanding, this decentralization frequently prompted differences in asset designation and quality between regions because of the absence of a bound together public system and responsibility components (Rizvi et al., 2022).

Comparative Insights and International Best Practices

Comparative studies with neighboring nations like Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka offer useful insights into education reforms that have been successful. Through targeted policies and persistent efforts, Bangladesh, for instance, has made significant progress in increasing literacy rates and the education of girls.

Policies aimed at improving girls' education, vocational training, and adult literacy have produced positive results (Zapp, 2021). India's Right to Education Act mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14, leading to improved educational outcomes. This legislation ensures that all children have access to education, and significant investments in teacher training and curriculum development have further enhanced educational standards (Agarwal & Chanda, 2022). In Sri Lanka, consistent policy implementation, substantial investments in education, and a strong emphasis on teacher training have contributed to its high literacy rate. The country's commitment to education as a national priority has yielded impressive results, providing a model for Pakistan to follow (Zubairi, 2021).

Current Situation and Strategies to Improve Policy

Disparities in access to high-quality education and persistently low educational outcomes result from Pakistan's education policy's enduring difficulties. Regardless of various approach mediations, issues like deficient financing, poor infrastructure and low teacher quality and socio-social boundaries continue. The nation dispenses a moderately low level of its Gross domestic product to training, leading to insufficient funding for infrastructure improvements and the provision of essential resources. Outdated curricula, rote learning methods, and a shortage of qualified teachers contribute to the poor quality of education, leaving many students ill-prepared for the modern workforce (UNESCO et al., 2021).

Access to education remains inconsistent, particularly in rural and marginalized communities, with girls' education facing significant challenges due to social barriers and gender discrimination. Inefficiencies and corruption in the education system are exacerbated by inadequate governance structures and accountability mechanisms, further reducing its effectiveness (Hassan, 2022). Additionally, the Coronavirus pandemic featured the advanced split among metropolitan and country regions, fueling existing imbalances in admittance to schooling (UNESCO et al., 2021).

To address these difficulties, a few stages can be taken to further develop schooling strategy and results in Pakistan.

Boost Funding

Education needs more money, and spending on infrastructure and teacher quality should be prioritized. Educational plan change is fundamental to underline decisive reasoning, critical thinking, and down to earth abilities important for the advanced labor force (UNESCO et al., 2021).

Teacher Education

The quality of instruction and learning can be improved by investing in professional development opportunities and teacher training programs (Lingard, 2020).

Inclusivity

Endeavors ought to be made to address socio-social obstructions and advance inclusivity through local area commitment and motivators for young ladies' schooling.

Governance

To combat corruption and ensure the effective allocation of resources, it is essential to implement transparent accountability mechanisms and strengthen governance structures (Ulain & Husnain, 2020).

Advanced Foundation

The digital divide can be bridged and education access improved, particularly in remote areas, by investing in digital infrastructure and technology-enabled learning solutions (UNESCO et al., 2021).

Conclusion

The education policy in Pakistan has confronted various difficulties, prompting its inability to accomplish put forth objectives. Significant obstacles include socio-cultural barriers, poor quality of education, inadequate funding, inconsistent policy implementation, and a lack of effective oversight. By learning from effective international models and resolving internal issues through targeted reforms. Pakistan can work toward fulfilling its educational objectives. Comprehensive efforts to increase funding, enhance teacher training, reform curricula, and strengthen governance are essential for developing an effective and inclusive education system. The failure of Pakistan's education policy to accomplish its objectives can be credited to a blend of conflicting approach execution, deficient subsidizing, low quality of instruction, socio-social hindrances, political and regulatory impedance, absence of implementation and responsibility, and lacking teacher training. A comprehensive and ongoing strategy based on successful international models and best practices is required to address these issues. To push ahead, Pakistan needs to increment financing for instruction to somewhere around 4% of Gross domestic product, as suggested by UNESCO. Investing in teacher training and professional development is essential for improving the quality of education. The development of skills for creative thinking, problem-solving, and critical thinking ought to be the primary focus of curriculum reform. Addressing socio-cultural barriers through community-based programs and financial incentives can help ensure that all children, especially girls and those in rural areas, have access to quality education.To eradicate corruption and ensure that resources reach the intended recipients, it is essential to strengthen governance and establish transparent mechanisms for fund allocation and utilization. By resolving these issues, Pakistan can foster a compelling and comprehensive school system that addresses the issues of its population and fosters national development.

Conflict of Interest

The author of the manuscript has no financial or non-financial conflict of interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Data Availability Statement

The data associated with this study will be provided by the corresponding author upon request.