That the education sector needs an overhaul in this country is a reality, which is being ignored by successive governments. The poor infrastructure, ghost schools and teachers, gender inequality, lack of access to and, in some cases, affordability are some of the many reasons why there is an increase in out-of-school children in Pakistan. The Unicef puts this number at 22.8 million children between the ages 5-16, which is roughly 44 percent of the total population in this age group.
It has also been reported that since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic many parents have pulled their children out of schools as they were unable to provide equipment required for remote learning during the lockdowns. Others state the rising inflation and prices as the cause for pulling school-going children, especially girls, out of classrooms.
While the reality of this haunts the already stressed existing education infrastructure, the recent ruling by the Supreme Court has pushed more children out of schools. The decision to seal all private educational institutions operating in cantonment areas across the country has put the future of thousands of school-going children at risk. So far, 36 schools within the jurisdiction of Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards have been sealed as the deadline to vacate them by December 31 expired. However, schools operating in Sindh cantonment areas got a new lifeline with the Sindh High Court’s stay order on the decision to seal them.
The apex court too had given a stay order on schools and colleges in Rawalpindi but amid the absence of a written order the cantonment board has refused to de-seal them. Thus, when classes resume on January 14 after the winter break hundreds of children will be forced to stay home. This is not to say that the apex court’s decision is not in line with public interest as running of any commercial activities in cantonment areas is against the law. But is sealing schools without the provision of an alternative the solution?
Government officials authorizing the operation of schools in these areas made billions in profits and have little to lose from all educational institutions being shut. The ultimate loser are the many children enrolled in these institutes. Authorities concerned must realise that thousands of futures are at risk. Not only should a written stay order be submitted but alternate solutions, such as, provision of land, should also be found on priority basis.
