COVID-19 impacts on continuity of learning in Pakistan
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The worldwide closure of schools due to the coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented, affecting more than 1.5 billion children, according to a United Nations policy brief. In countries like Pakistan, the situation poses a high risk of students, especially girls, dropping out and not returning to schools when educational institutions finally reopen.
Since March 16, when the government of Pakistan imposed a countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of the virus, around 46 million schoolkids have been forced to stay at home, in addition to the country's already 22 million out-of-school children. The spill-over effects of the economic recession prompted by the outbreak have further worsened the situation by weakening Pakistan’s education system, especially as development funding has been slashed at the national and provincial levels. In the country where investment in the public sector is already meager, COVID-19 has caused further “shrinkage” in resources available for the education system delivery.
COVID-19 is set to magnify inequalities in the education system of Pakistan and is likely to prompt a rise in school dropout rates, thereby increasing the number of out-of-school children, especially girls. With economic recession and rising unemployment, families will give a preference to sending boys back to schools rather than girls, especially in rural and peri-urban areas.
The potential learning losses incurred by children and adolescents because of the pandemic are hard to fathom as the situation is still evolving, however, while most private schools are offering distance learning through various digital technology platforms, Pakistani children in the country's remote areas are disproportionately disadvantaged due to a lack of access to computers or the internet. The longer their schools remain closed, the more difficult it will be for these already vulnerable children to catch up on learning. The gap between public and private sector schools is widening further.
The federal government along with international organizations, civil society and private sector partners should join hands to prevent the current crisis from widening Pakistan's already huge educational inequality, and promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels.
Dr. Mehreen Mujtaba
The government and development partners have designed certain strategies to address the situation. The federal government has launched “Teleschool,” which has become a single source of education for millions of Pakistani children. Programs are broadcast on PTV from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. every day with content for grades 1-12. At the provincial level, the government of Punjab launched “Taleem Ghar,” an education program for public school students enrolled in grades 1-8. It is accessible through cable television, a mobile phone application and a website. Much more, however, needs to be done.
Education is the right of every child and is the bedrock of a just society. Pakistan has some of the world’s worst education indicators with 40 percent children not attending any form of formal education. The COVID-19 crisis has further aggravated the situation. It is time to ask what measures government needs to take in order to make the education sector more sustainable, equitable, inclusive and resilient in the face of crisis.
Provinces need to take the lead. They should develop and promote localized, free and open digital tools for education to make large-scale remote learning possible. There is a dire need to develop, print and distribute learning materials where there is limited access to the Internet and online resources.
A post-coronavirus scenario will require provincial governments to monitor the drop-out rate, especially for girls and children from impoverished or marginalized families. It can be done through databases maintained by the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP). It is also high time to revisit the budget for education to ensure equitable allocation of funds and introduce game-changing investments for digital and online learning to become available to all.
The federal government along with international organizations, civil society and private sector partners should join hands to prevent the current crisis from widening Pakistan's already huge educational inequality, and promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels.
– Dr. Mehreen Mujtaba is a freelance consultant working in the areas of environment and health.
