People in a coastal village in Pakistan’s Sindh province are worried about a government primary school that has been shut for five years, leaving local children without access to basic education. The Government Primary School in Sheikh Qarehio Bhandari village, the last settlement of Union Council Bhugra Memon in Badin, has been non-operational for years. The school building, resembling a hut, is in a deteriorated state, as reported by The Express Tribune.
Residents have expressed concerns about the lack of teachers and the poor condition of the school building, highlighting the neglect by the education department and other authorities. Due to the school’s closure, children from the village have to travel to other areas for education. Despite government initiatives to promote education and hire teachers, schools in rural areas remain closed, indicating administrative inefficiency and negligence by the authorities.
Local residents are urging authorities to take immediate action to reopen the school, renovate the building, and appoint teachers. A recent government report disclosed that 26.2 million children in Pakistan are still out of school. Pakistan’s Federal Ministry of Education and Professional Training released the ‘Girls’ Education Statistics and Trends Report 2023-24,’ revealing that a significant number of children, including 3.4 million girls, are out of school.
The report also highlighted funding challenges, noting a decline in education financing in Pakistan. The national education share has decreased from 13% to 11%, with several provinces reducing funding, particularly Punjab and Sindh. Only 19% of schools have digital tools, and 23% have ramps for students with disabilities, but there is a lack of specialized assistive learning materials. During the report’s launch, Pakistan’s Federal Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui mentioned a notable increase in the primary school completion rate for girls from 75% to 89%.
