The national literacy rate of the country is 62.3%. Generally, every citizen is familiar with the quality of education in Pakistan and in its respective provinces; among which the province of Balochistan suffers the worse literacy rate. The province has about 3,500 governmental ghost schools that exist but are non-functional, due to ghost employees. Annual funds from PSDPs are still allocated for those ghost schools which get divided among the employees. The quality of education is a secondary concern in Balochistan when the educational institutions do not even have employees.
Moreover, the literacy rate of both males and females in Balochistan is worse compared to Punjab, Sindh and KPK. Due to the recent pandemic, Pakistan’s educational sector has been brutally hit. Balochistan’s educational sector suffered a much greater impact after the pandemic as well and went back to the darker side.
The majority of the citizens in Balochistan province are not familiar with the official language; they cannot even write nor they formally can speak Urdu. Those who know Urdu a little bit do not have the courage to speak publicly. On 25 October 2020 Jalsa of PDM, in Quetta city headed by Maryam Nawaz, half the crowd on the spot could not understand what Maryam Nawaz was trying to convey.
It is the high time and moment to courage up the people of Balochistan province towards education and a prosperous Pakistan. Let’s start a campaign to promote reading for a prosperous Balochistan and a more successful Pakistan.
For an instant boost-up in the education sector of Balochistan, the Education minister Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind is requested to promote such a campaign.
HABIB ULLAH AMAN
ISLAMABAD
