A betrayal of the constitutional right to education

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The writer is an assistant professor. He can be reached at mujeebalisamo110@gmail.com

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History has shown time and again that while economies may collapse and governments may fail, investment in knowledge continues to yield lasting returns. The great civilisations of Greece and Rome drew their strength from learning and intellectual growth.

Societies that prioritise knowledge and children's education rise, while those that neglect them stagnate - regardless of how rich they are in resources or how grand their rhetoric may be. Investment in education must go beyond constructing buildings or inflating enrolment figures; it must cultivate reasoning minds, moral clarity and civic responsibility.

From Adam's (AS) first lesson in knowledge to Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) first command, Iqra (Read), the message is clear: knowledge transforms societies. Ignoring this truth is an invitation to decline.

It is through the power of education and knowledge that one succeeds, not through physical strength. Knowledge is an invaluable treasure and a far more powerful weapon than ammunition or a nuclear bomb. Countries that have risen did so by strengthening their education sector and improving it to the highest possible standards. Nelson Mandela rightly said, "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."

Pakistan's Constitution reads this vision. Article 25-A guarantees free and compulsory education for all children aged five to sixteen, while Article 37(b) commits the state to eradicate illiteracy and expand secondary education. However, the gulf between these constitutional pledges and our national reality continues to widen.

Pakistan's literacy rate is just 60%, with male literacy at 68% and female literacy at 52%. Punjab leads at around 66% while Balochistan lags dead last at 42% among the four provinces. Despite gradual improvement, these numbers remain dismal compared to our neighbours. India reports a literacy rate of 74%, and Bangladesh 74.6%. European nations, such as the UK, Germany and Finland, maintain near-universal literacy, proving that education boosts economic growth and social cohesion.

Various reports reveal that 26.8 million Pakistani children, about 44% of those under the age of sixteen, are out of school. The crisis is particularly severe for rural families and for girls, who face cultural, economic and safety barriers. It is rightly believed that "we cannot build a competitive economy when nearly half our children never enter a classroom."

The situation is no better in higher education. University enrolment dropped by 13% in recent years, and barely five out of every hundred students who begin primary school reach a university classroom. Rising tuition fees, coupled with shrinking scholarships, has turned higher education into an unaffordable privilege for many working-class families.

Pakistan's education spending has fallen to 0.8% of GDP - among the lowest in the world. Whereas, international benchmarks recommend allocating over 4% of GDP to education sector. The fact is, without substantial investment, this shortfall amounts to a betrayal of the constitutional right to education.

The consequences are obvious. Nations that prioritise education prosper. China, for instance, has raised literacy from 79% in 1982 to 97% today; and Finland, with 99.2% literacy rate, excels economically, politically and socially. Countries that neglect education are left vulnerable to poverty, corruption and instability.

To achieve the highest educational standards, Pakistan needs to raise its education spending to international levels - at least 4-6% of GDP, as recommended by Unesco and Unicef. Alongside this, it is essential to ensure safe and inclusive learning environments for both girls and boys in rural as well as urban areas of the country. Moreover, there should be strict checks not only on enrolment but also on attendance and learning outcomes of students and teachers at school, so as to ensure that education is not just about qualifications but for life.

Education for children must no longer be seen as a privilege; it is a fundamental right. Quaid-i-Azam famously said, "Education is a matter of life and death for our nation. Without education, it is complete darkness and with education, it is light."