Pakistan behind Nepal, India in girls’ education

[S_O_C_O_M]

Pakistan behind Nepal, India in girls’ education​

From the Newspaper | Amin Ahmed | 2 hours ago

Students in a classroom on April 1, 2010 in Lahore. — AP Photo/File

ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: Released in the wake of an armed attack on teenage education activist Malala Yousufzai, the Education for All Global Monitoring Report shows that Pakistan’s progress in getting poor girls into schools is less than half that of India’s and Nepal’s and a quarter of Bangladesh’s.

The report released by Unesco here on Thursday reveals that though Pakistan has the second largest number of out-of-school girls in the world, yet it has reduced the amount it spends on education to less than 2.3 per cent of GNP. Only nine low- and lower-middle-income countries spend a smaller share on education. The barriers to education faced by Pakistani girls are stark in comparison with the rest of South Asia.

These findings were issued by the World Inequalities Database of Education, a website of the EFA Global Monitoring Report team, showing how factors such as gender, poverty, location and ethnicity affect a child’s chances at education.

A two-thirds of the out-of-school children in Pakistan are girls; only 16 countries have a worse rate.

Pakistan has the second highest number of out-of-school children in the world – five million.

The country’s progress in reducing the number of poor girls being denied a chance of education has been too slow. The percentage of poorest girls out of school has fallen from 78 per cent to 62 per cent, a much smaller drop than in India (from 66 per cent to 30 per cent), Nepal (52 per cent to 22 per cent) and Bangladesh (91 per cent to 44 per cent).

EFA Global Monitoring Report Director Pauline Rose said that “since 1999 when governments around the world committed to getting all children into school, countries like Pakistan have managed to consistently fail to address” the issue.

“We must put girls first if we’re to crack this challenge. Two-thirds of girls in the poorest areas in Pakistan are still not getting the chance of an education – a rate that is not appropriate for 21st century.”

According to the report, although the number of Pakistani children denied education is surpassed only by Nigeria, the country has reduced spending on education from 2.6 per cent of GNP in 1999 to 2.3 per cent today.

“The hope is that the tragic violence against Malala will bring shame on a country which has ignored the rights of its girls to an education for too long. Pakistan spends less on education than it spends to subsidise just three of its loss-making public sector enterprises – the national airline (and the) steel and electricity companies. Pakistan also spends less on education than it does on the military. Its priorities have to change,” the UN official said.

The Global Monitoring Report 2012 shows over a third of young Pakistanis – 12 million – do not have the skills they need for work. This is the second highest number of unskilled young people in the world.

Pakistan behind Nepal, India in girls

 

[Kloitra]

With the likes of Taliban, should not be a surprise.

We can wish with the Malala case, and the public support she garnered, the situation would change for good.

 

[S_O_C_O_M]

this has nothing to do with taliban but rather poverty. if you can try to use your brain and actually comprehend what the article says you won't make your self to look like a laughing stock.

 

[Kloitra]

this has nothing to do with taliban but rather poverty. if you can try to use your brain and actually comprehend what the article says you won't make your self to look like a laughing stock.

I didnt knew Pakistan had more poverty than India. Besides, I have seen poor in India, the 1.25$ a day one, which try to get there children educated?

Apart from poverty, what is the only factor differentiating the two countries? Or are you claiming that extremists have no effect on 'girls education'? The regions under extremist influence have schools open for girls but they dont go because of poverty?

The hope is that the tragic violence against Malala will bring shame on a country which has ignored the rights of its girls to an education for too long.

Does this line indicate something?

I just wish whatever the reason, girls education becomes the norm. And not just Pakistan, everywhere.

I read a long time ago: Educate a boy, you get one educated person. Educate a girl, you get an educated family.

 

[S_O_C_O_M]

I didnt knew Pakistan had more poverty than India. Besides, I have seen poor in India, the 1.25$ a day one, which try to get there children educated?

Apart from poverty, what is the only factor differentiating the two countries? Or are you claiming that extremists have no effect on 'girls education'? The regions under extremist influence have schools open for girls but they dont go because of poverty?

you used one lame quote and extrapolated it the whole article and then came back to justify your reasoning while blantly ignoring what the rest of the article states.

 

[Kloitra]

you used one lame quote and extrapolated it the whole article and then came back to justify your reasoning while blantly ignoring what the rest of the article states.

Since it doesn't suits you, it is lame.

Anyways, I dont disagree that the govt need to invest more, and somehow attract more of poor to study.

But I dont believe that poverty is the only criteria. In subcontinent, the distinction between gender is prevalent.
It is fortified by fear or appreciation of extremist views. When I bought in Taliban/extremists, I considered it to be only difference between India and Pakistan. Otherwise poverty factor affects both gender.

“We must put girls first if we’re to crack this challenge. Two-thirds of girls in the poorest areas in Pakistan are still not getting the chance of an education – a rate that is not appropriate for 21st century.”

And if just after Malala incident, you want someone to believe that extremist have no or small effect on girls education, or this 'poorest' areas are free of conservative traditions, you have to try harder.

It is late, and I dont want to argue, one question. Do you honestly believe the extremists like taliban or a local Mullah in those poor areas have no effect on girls education?

 

[KRAIT]

Instead of bombing Pakistan, if US had used this money to spread education, not giving just the money as it will land up in someone's bank account, they would have won many hearts.

Problem with dealing other challenges is we hardly focus on the root level of society. Its not just about girl's education. Its about education for all and even for adult people living in villages.

But for the topic, I would like to mention Angelina Jolie giving $ 50,000 for girl's education in Pakistan. We need to give this money to the Non-Profit organizations rather than govt. to run successful education centers. Another aspect is security of these organizations and students too. Any threat against these people should be taken way too seriously. This will not only accelerate the spread of education but will also help in rebuilding nation's image and clear the prejudice of Westerners.

Major part of supporting these schools should be in form of stationery rather than money. This way chances of corruption will decrease and objective can achieve higher success rate.

 

[Machete]

Why dawn newspaper unnecessarily bringing India into this matters, do they having proof for such drop?. India and Pakistan not in same platform in educational sector.

 

[Spring Onion]

Why dawn newspaper unnecessarily bringing India into this matters, do they having proof for such drop?. India and Pakistan not in same platform in educational sector.

The bold part, thats what the newspaper says. We are behind you in girls' education.

Instead of bombing Pakistan, if US had used this money to spread education, not giving just the money as it will land up in someone's bank account, they would have won many hearts.

Problem with dealing other challenges is we hardly focus on the root level of society. Its not just about girl's education. Its about education for all and even for adult people living in villages.

But for the topic, I would like to mention Angelina Jolie giving $ 50,000 for girl's education in Pakistan. We need to give this money to the Non-Profit organizations rather than govt. to run successful education centers. Another aspect is security of these organizations and students too. Any threat against these people should be taken way too seriously. This will not only accelerate the spread of education but will also help in rebuilding nation's image and clear the prejudice of Westerners.

Major part of supporting these schools should be in form of stationery rather than money. This way chances of corruption will decrease and objective can achieve higher success rate.

agreed with you. But NGOs' should not be given money directly since majority of NGOs are as corrupt as anything.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Indian government has to take a lot of creidt for this- many policies have brought education to this level. The right to education for all primary children in India and the right to a free school meal that encourages many to even attend school. They have worked to a great extenet. This is another reason why India has abright future- education levels of the next generation is increasing manifold. It is a shame for Paksitan that it is lagging behind so much, this does not bode well for the future and worringly one of the main factors for extremism is ignorance and a lack of education.

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

Congratulations for Pakistan for being ahead in keeping some more children than India or Nepal away from brainwashing.