‘One in ten children still won’t be completing primary school by 2030’

Pakistan is home to 24 million of the world’s 263 million out-of-school children, which is a serious challenge to the status of education in country, indicating that one in ten children will still not be able to complete primary school by 2030.

The country is expected to achieve universal primary education in 2060, universal lower secondary education in 2070 and universal upper secondary education not until 2095. These startling revelations were made in Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report 2016 titled ‘Education for People and Planet: Creating Sustainable Future For all’. UNESCO Islamabad unveiled the 2016 GEM report in collaboration with UNICEF and other UN partners on Wednesday. UNICEF representative to Pakistan Angela Kearney presented the 2016 GEM Report to Minister of State for Federal Education Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman and professional training for its formal launch.

The first in a fifteen years’ series, the GEM report 2016 showed that education has a huge potential to facilitate progress towards all the global sustainable development goals, but needs a major rethink if it is to live up to those expectations. The report stipulates that on current trends, universal primary education in South Asia will be achieved in 2051; universal lower secondary completion in 2062; and universal upper secondary completion in 2087. This means that the region would be more than half a century late for the 2030 SDG deadline. In order to address these issues, the GEM report suggested doing away with past trends to avoid the world being half a century late in achieving its global education commitments.

The education systems must provide people with vital skills and knowledge that can find new solutions for environmental problems. Education systems need to nurture higher level skills to fulfil the needs of growing economies where jobs are being fast automated. The governments should focus on removing inequalities in education, which can cause frustration and increase the risk of conflict and violence.

Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Baligh-ur-Rehman highlighted that the 2016 GEM report has got a new directive to review the progress of education under the 2030 Agenda. The report, he said, not only looks into the education sector but also focuses on the relationship of education and other sustainable developments goals.

“And for that, the government of Pakistan has already adopted SDG-4 and has converted it into our national development goals, education has always been our first priority and we are fully committed towards it,” he maintained.

Presenting the key findings of the GEM report, Vibeke Jensen highlighted that the report looks at the multiple links and synergies between education in relation to SDG-4 and other sectors, such as health, nutrition, poverty alleviation, women’s empowerment, environment, climate change and peace and security etc.

While stressing the centrality of SDG4 in the overall 2030 Agenda, she said all sectors must view education as a partner in their plans for change, and work together in global, regional and national partnership.

Angela Kearney said this year’s GEM report is very important as it shows the need to progress in education which is critical for all Sustainable Development Goals. The development sectors need to include education in their policies and plans.

She pointed out that the GEM report calls for much greater financiering to achieve the education goals, adding that UNICEF will continue its work through a holistic and cross-sectoral method for the progress of all children.

UNICEF’s work will promote early childhood programs which include nutrition, stimulation and protection; ensuring that children in places as far-removed as FATA and remote Balochistan can thrive in safe and protective environments critical to their development needs, she added.

WFP Pakistan acting Country Director Stephen Gluning said: “No single organisation and no single government can act alone to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. By working together with commitment and determination, we can establish powerful partnerships that can change the global landscape.

WFP together with other UN agencies and partners is supporting government of Pakistan to achieve food security, nutrition, education gender equality and manage climate impact in Pakistan.