The Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPAM), a federal government’s educational planning and management body, last month issued its annual report “Pakistan Education Statistics 2015-16” which once again brought to limelight the much discussed issue— “ missing facilities” or absence of basic amenities in public schools across the country.
While the report portrays a rosy picture about the provision of basic facilities in public schools in the Punjab province, it shows how bad the situation is, in particular, in Balochistan and Sindh provinces.
There is a general consensus among stakeholders including educationists that facilities like drinking water, toilets and electricity are directly linked with a student’s overall learning experiences.
The Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan makes free and compulsory education a right to all children of the age of 5 to 16 years. Do you think the provincial governments can ensure provision of this right to children sans facilities at schools? You can read full report including details on lack of boundary walls in schools here.
NOTE: The AEPAM report also covers FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan, ICT and AJ&K. However this Data Stories report covers only four provinces.
Main image. Dawn.com
