Challenges to Promotion of the Fundamental Right to Education in Pakistan

Abstract

Government of Pakistan believes that education has great impact of overall output of the society. After passing 18th amendment, education has become a fundamental right of every child. Article 37 (b) of Pakistan’s constitution states that the state shall endeavor to remove illiteracy and provide free and compulsory secondary education within minimum possible period. To ensure this basic right, government of Pakistan took each and every possible step, joined international voices working for fundamental right to education, and within the country, blend the face and pace of the public and private sectors to work for the promotion of fundamental right to education. In spite of all these efforts, a large number of children who should be in schools are out of school and those who are attending the schools are lacking the quality education. There are a lot of problems with schooling from school end to government level. Shortage of quality teachers, lack of basic facilities, lack of innovative spectrum in education system are some of the problems lie on government end and old fashion teaching styles, believes about modern education, lack of commitment are some of the challenges from school end. The objectives of this paper are to carved out the challenges to the fundamental right of education and suggest some possible ways to overcome these challenges. The sample for the study was education officer and educational managers. A semi structured interview was used for knowing their opinion about the challenges to fundamental right to education. It is found that poverty; lack of basic facilities and lack of knowledge about the importance of basic education are the some major challenges to basic education.