Author: Shahid Hayat, a student of Master Science in Nursing (MSN) at the Aga Khan University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, he has 10 years of clinical experience in the cardiac field.
To achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-4: Quality Education as a Fundamental Human Right. This goal aims to offer equitable access to high-quality education, free elementary and secondary education, and reasonably priced technical, vocational, and university degrees, end discrimination, and increase opportunities for higher education. Pakistan and many other developing countries are still facing a wide range of challenges in achieving the quality education goal of SDGs. Many factors, including economic inequalities to infrastructure limitations, affect the availability and delivery of high-quality education.
One of the main problems is the lack of proper facilities in schools, such as power, sanitary facilities, and classrooms. All students need a secure and supportive learning environment, which requires addressing these shortcomings.
Secondly, Pakistan is experiencing a teacher shortage, particularly in rural regions where possibilities for professional growth are limited and incomes are poor. The quality of education may be raised by making investments in incentives, competitive pay, and training (Nawab and Bissaker, 2021).
Despite its significance, the Pakistani curriculum frequently promotes memorization over critical thinking, which restrains innovation. It is necessary to modify the curriculum with an emphasis on student-centered learning and varied viewpoints (Ahmad et al.).
Student learning may be enhanced by investing in educational resources like libraries and digital technologies, especially for kids from underprivileged backgrounds. Aiming specifically at underprivileged communities and schools, targeted interventions can help close the resource gap and advance fair access to high-quality education.
Effective governance is crucial for efficient education delivery. Strengthening governance mechanisms, transparency, accountability, and decentralization, and engaging stakeholders can improve education quality and promote citizen participation (Huss and Keudel, 2020).
Inequalities in gender, child labor, and unemployment represent just a few of the socioeconomic problems that restrict high-quality education in Pakistan. Targeted policies, social protection, and poverty alleviation are necessary to address issues. In addition, breaking the cycle of poverty across generations and improving overall educational achievements may be achieved via supporting girls' education and women's empowerment.
Pakistani culture influences education, affecting vulnerable populations and females' access to school. Involving communities and promoting cultural sensitivity and understanding in policies can help to promote equity and accessibility in education (Afridi, 2018).
In conclusion, addressing the key factors affecting quality education in Pakistan is crucial for achieving SDGs 4. This includes investing in infrastructure, supporting teachers, reforming curriculum, strengthening governance, addressing socioeconomic disparities, and promoting cultural sensitivity, involving government, civil society, and international partners.
References
Nazar, R., Chaudhry, I. S., Ali, S., & Faheem, M. (2018). ROLE OF QUALITY EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS). PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences, 4(2), 486–501. https://doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2018.42.486501
AFRIDI, M. 2018. Equity and quality in an education public-private partnership: A study of the World Bank-supported PPP in Punjab, Pakistan.
AHMAD, J., SHAUKAT, B. & JAVED, A. Pedagogy as a factor of (In) tolerance: An Analysis of Teaching Practices at the University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
HUSS, O. & KEUDEL, O. 2020. Open government in education: clarifying concepts and mapping initiatives, International Institute for Educational Planning.
NAWAB, A. & BISSAKER, K. 2021. Contextual factors influencing the effectiveness of professional development for teachers in rural Pakistan. Teacher development, 25, 706-727.
.jpg)
0 Comments