Six years, Rs100 million and 84,000 children: lawmakers question slow Dyslexia act implementation

Six years after the Dyslexia Act was passed, thousands of children are still struggling to get proper support in schools, while a Rs100

Islamabad:  Six years after the Dyslexia Act was passed, thousands of children are still struggling to get proper support in schools, while a Rs100 million government project has identified around 33,000 children at risk of dyslexia but has yet to complete their full diagnosis. The slow progress, shortage of specialist support and barriers to college and university admissions came under sharp criticism at the 27th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training.

The meeting, chaired by Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, heard that 84,000 children in 338 Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) schools had undergone initial screening between May and June. Around 33,000 children, or 29.2 per cent, were identified as being at risk of dyslexia.

Officials stressed that these children had not yet been diagnosed with dyslexia. Their cases were still being examined by trained specialists to establish which children actually had the condition and what support they needed.

The figures raised questions among lawmakers about the time taken to implement a law passed six years ago and whether the project would deliver lasting support after its two year period ends.

A representative of the National Institute of Psychology told the committee that the Rs100 million project had started through a contract awarded in April. The Education Ministry said no separate government funding had been provided for the project and that it was launched using savings from available resources.

The project has 60 remedial therapists working across six FDE sectors: Urban One, Urban Two, Sihala, Tarnol, Bara Kahu and Nilore. Officials said these specialists worked with school teachers to screen children in classes one to five.

The project has several stages. The first stage involved initial screening, while the second stage involves detailed assessment by trained psychologists and remedial therapists. Officials said they planned to complete the detailed diagnostic assessment by December. After that, children would receive individual education plans and remedial support, while teachers and parents would also receive training.

The project is also meant to train FDE staff so that the system can continue after the two year contract ends. However, lawmakers questioned whether the government had made permanent arrangements to ensure that support would not stop when the project was completed.

Committee members also raised concerns about the qualifications and number of therapists, the training given to teachers and the method used to identify children in large classrooms. One member pointed out that primary school classes can have 50 to 60 students and questioned whether teachers could correctly identify children with learning difficulties without direct assessment by specialists.

Officials defended the approach, saying teachers spend considerable time with children and can notice reading and writing problems. They said experts had designed the screening tool and that suspected cases were being examined by specialists before any final diagnosis.

The National Institute of Psychology said its National Diagnostic Tool Assessment for Dyslexia had four main areas, including cognitive and perceptual motor skills, language and phonological abilities. Officials said the tools followed standard psychological assessment procedures and were developed using research and international standards.

However, MNA Zeb Jafar questioned why the findings of government funded research had not been shared publicly. She said the public and Parliament needed access to research findings, while the project team said the work was still under way and incomplete data could lead to errors.

The officials said the screening tools had been shared with the FDE and were being reviewed by Air University. They said the detailed assessment was expected to be completed by December before the next stage of support began.

The meeting also heard that the National Institute of Psychology had arranged training for the 60 therapists, who included educational psychologists, clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists and speech and language specialists. Officials said they had relevant field experience and had received training from the British Dyslexia Association.

A parent, Aliya Nasir, gave the committee a personal account of the difficulties faced by her daughter, who was diagnosed with dyslexia in grade three, when she was in her sixth year of schooling. She said the family had spent years dealing with reading, writing and examination difficulties.

Her daughter could answer questions orally but struggled to read and write. The mother said the child faced particular difficulty with mathematics in grade seven and at one stage refused to attend school because of the subject.

She later studied sociology and literature and completed O Levels and A Levels, with examinations taken in stages. Despite receiving assessment and remedial support from grade four, she continued to face difficulties.

The mother told the committee that her daughter could not secure admission to a Pakistani university because of subject and equivalence requirements, particularly mathematics. She said she had approached the Inter Board Coordination Commission (IBCC), the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC), but could not find a solution.

She said she was forced to arrange an international degree route for her daughter. She also complained that the education system had failed to provide suitable subject choices and examination arrangements for children with dyslexia.

The account prompted lawmakers to question compulsory subjects such as mathematics, Pakistan Studies, Urdu and Islamiat where these requirements prevent children with learning difficulties from continuing their education.

Zeb Jafar urged the committee to consider changes in the law and make certain subjects optional for children with dyslexia, according to their abilities and future fields of study. She argued that a student choosing fashion design, for example, should not automatically face the same mathematics requirements as a student pursuing a field that depends on the subject.

She also called for changes to matriculation and Cambridge examination arrangements and asked that the relevant education bodies work together before the next examination period in June. The aim, she said, should be to help affected students qualify for college and university admission instead of forcing families to seek education abroad.

The committee discussed involving the National Curriculum Council, IBCC, FDE and PEIRA in reviewing the syllabus and examination rules. It also asked for permanent posts for remedial therapists and proper inclusion of dyslexia training in teacher education courses.

The issue of private schools also came under discussion. A PEIRA representative told the committee that awareness sessions had been held for 800 teachers and 200 school principals. Further parent awareness sessions were planned with the National Institute of Psychology over the next four months.

However, members questioned whether awareness sessions alone were enough to ensure that children in private schools were properly screened and supported. They called for a wider programme to extend the work beyond federal government schools.

Lawmakers also questioned the lack of regular syllabus reviews and the risk that the two year project could end without a permanent system. One member warned that projects could stop after their funding or contract period unless the government made long term arrangements.

The committee further called for an annual dyslexia awareness programme in October, which is observed internationally as Dyslexia Awareness Month. Members said schools should involve both teachers and parents in these activities.

The committee asked the education authorities to provide further information on the project, including the progress of assessments, specialist staffing, teacher training and arrangements for permanent support. It also sought feedback on the role of psychology departments and the examination changes needed to help affected students.

The meeting exposed a major challenge in turning the Dyslexia Act into practical support. While the government says it has screened 84,000 children and is working towards detailed assessments, families are still facing barriers in schools and higher education.