Universal Primary Education in Pakistan: constraints and challenges

This paper addresses the issue of universal primary education (one of the MDGs) in Pakistan. It is unlikely for Pakistan to achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015. The main assumption in this study is that existence and proper functioning of a school in a locality need its integration with the community and other local institutions by making them the stakeholders. It also intends to identify the problems in the way of universal primary education in Pakistan. An allencompassing approach (that addresses all the constraints) to this issue may be useful to achieve the goal of Universal Primary Education in Pakistan. The study draws on secondary data such as review of government reports, scientific published material and other relevant literature. We found that the issue has multiple dimensions, such as insufficient educational services, especially in rural areas, incompetent and untrained teachers (mostly recruited on the basis of political recommendation) and poor quality of education. We also identified other constraints concerned with the UPE, such as poor physical and educational environment, poverty, lack of community participation, illiterate parents and lack of political commitment and good governance. This situation, with regard to primary education, creates doubts about the utility of schooling among the resource constrained parents. Additionally, inadequate and insufficient technical and vocational training institutions for those students who successfully complete the primary education are also an inhibiting factor. It is important that the school is made a part of the larger social structure and ought to be sensitive and responsive to the needs of students, parents and the community at large. South Asian Studies 28 (2) 428