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ISLAMABAD, Feb 11 (APP):Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday reiterated the government’s strong commitment to achieving a 90 percent literacy rate, calling it essential for sustainable national development.
Speaking at the launch ceremony of Pakistan’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mid-term review report, he expressed serious concerns about the current state of primary education in the country, mentioning that nearly 2.5 million children remained out of school.
He was of the view that cognitive development was one of the most important factors for children’s growth, yet it was lacking in the current education system.
The minister pointed out the disparity in higher education rates between Pakistan and its neighbors: while Pakistan’s rate stands at just 13 percent, India’s is 30 percent, Bangladesh’s is 35 percent, and China has reached 70 percent. “Education is indispensable for development, and it must be accompanied by increased resources and improved governance,” he said.
Ahsan Iqbal also regretted that, under the tenure of the previous PTI government, the education budget was slashed to just 1.5 percent of GDP.
However, he noted that the PML-N government has been gradually increasing the education budget since 2022. “Both the federation and the provinces must allocate adequate resources for education,” he stressed.
While acknowledging that indicators in the District Education Report had improved, he urged that the serious flaws identified within the system should be addressed as a top priority.
Under the URAAN Pakistan initiative, the minister highlighted that education had been prioritized within the national agenda.
He also reminded the audience that Pakistan would celebrate its 100th year of independence in 2047, urging the nation to unite in its efforts to achieve national development goals. “Development is impossible without peace, stability, continuity in policies and reforms. In the past, Vision-2010 and Vision-2025 were squandered, but now continuity in policies is crucial,” he added.
The minister cautioned that Pakistan was among the top countries globally in terms of hepatitis and diabetes prevalence and was one of the three most polio-affected nations.
Ahsan Iqbal expressed optimism about the country’s future, declaring that the government aimed to pay off the debt accumulated over the past seven years within the next 22 years. “And every child will be in school within the next five years, and 100 percent enrollment will be ensured at the primary level,” he vowed.
He outlined the education reform plan, which followed the Single National Curriculum approach.” This includes curriculum reforms, teacher training, and improvements in the examination system as part of the URAAN Pakistan program.”
“South Asia’s best teacher training institute will be established in Islamabad, and all education boards will implement a standardized examination system in collaboration with the provinces,” he said, declaring educational reforms and the achievement of development goals “inevitable” for Pakistan’s progress.