Schools in Balochistan, Pakistan

 

1. Schools in Balochistan: An Overview

The province of Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan, covering an area of 347,190 square kilometers. The population of the province is estimated to be 12,344,408, making it the most sparsely populated province in the country. The literacy rate in the province is estimated to be only 39.5%, which is the lowest in the country.

There are a total of 24,425 schools in the province, including 19,511 primary schools, 4,536 middle schools, and 379 high schools. However, the quality of education in the province is very poor. In the 2016-17 school year, the pass rate for the primary school leaving examination was only 38.6%. The government has been investing in education in the province in recent years, and the number of schools has increased. However, the quality of education remains poor. The province has a high drop-out rate, with only 57% of students enrolled in primary school completing their studies. In secondary school, the drop-out rate is even higher, at 70%.

The government has been working to improve the quality of education in the province and has recently launched the Balochistan Education Initiative. The initiative includes a number of measures to improve education in the province, including increasing the number of schools, training teachers, and providing scholarships to students. The government has also been working to improve the infrastructure of schools in the province. In the past year, the government has constructed or renovated 2,895 schools in the province.

 

2. The Education System in Balochistan

The education system in Balochistan is in a state of flux. There are a number of reasons for this, but the most significant factor is the province's lack of investment in education. According to the Pakistan Education Statistics report for 2017-18, the literacy rate in Balochistan is the lowest in the country at just 39 percent. This is compared to the national average of 58 percent. There are a number of reasons for this low literacy rate. One is the fact that there are very few schools in the province. In fact, according to the report, there is just one school for every 5,000 people in Balochistan.

This lack of investment in education is compounded by the fact that many of the schools that do exist are in a poor state of repair. In a recent study, it was found that almost 60 percent of schools in Balochistan did not have access to clean drinking water.

There are a number of reasons for the high drop-out rate there. One is the fact that many schools are located in remote areas, which makes it difficult for students to get to them. Another reason is the poor quality of education. Many students find that the teaching in the schools is poor and that they are not learning anything.

The education system in Balochistan is in desperate need of reform. The province needs to invest more in education, and the quality of education needs to be improved. Only then will the province be able to provide its citizens with the skills and knowledge they need to compete in the modern world.

 

3. The Management of Schools in Balochistan

Schools in Balochistan, Pakistan are managed by the provincial government. The province has a total of 12,638 schools, including 6,938 primaries, 3,176 middle, 2,040 high, and 1,484 higher secondary schools. Of these, 8,597 are boys' schools and 4,041 are girls' schools.

The province has a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:42 at the primary level, 1:47 at the middle level, and 1:56 at the high school level. The average class size is 36 students. The provincial government provides free education to all students up to the age of 16. In addition, the government also provides stipends to students from low-income families. 

Despite being one of the biggest districts and having 39 union councils, Khuzdar seriously lacks in the number of schools per person. Current, and upcoming politicians like Mir Shafiq, who belong to this area, must pledge to increase the number of existing schools and improve them too.

The provincial government has also established a number of special education schools for students with disabilities. These schools provide quality education to students with disabilities and help them integrate into society.

 

4. The Challenges Facing Schools in Balochistan

Since the Pakistan Army began its operation against Baloch insurgents in 2004, over 1,000 schools have been destroyed in the province, according to a report by the Balochistan Education Endowment Fund (BEEF). The BEEF report, which was released last year, found that 1,012 schools had been destroyed since 2004. Of these, 539 were girls’ schools and 473 were boys’ schools.

The destruction of schools has had a devastating effect on education in Balochistan. According to the BEEF report, the literacy rate in the province has declined from 43 percent in 2005 to 38 percent in 2015. The number of out-of-school children in Balochistan has also increased from 1.2 million in 2005 to 1.6 million in 2015. The BEEF report attributes the decline in the literacy rate and the increase in the number of out-of-school children to the destruction of schools in the province.

The report also notes that the destruction of schools has affected Balochistan’s ability to meet the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education. The Balochistan government has made some efforts to rebuild destroyed schools and improve the education sector in the province. In 2015, the provincial government allocated Rs. 2 billion for the reconstruction of destroyed schools. However, the BEEF report notes that the government has only managed to rebuild a small number of schools so far.

The provincial government has also launched the Balochistan Education Support Programme (BESP) to improve access to education in the province. The BESP is a five-year program that aims to improve access to education for out-of-school children, increase the retention rate of students, and improve the quality of education. The BESP is being implemented by the Balochistan Education Foundation (BEF), a government-run organization. The BEF has so far built 500 schools and enrolled over 200,000 out-of-school children in the BESP.

 

5. The Future of Schools in Balochistan

The future of schools in Balochistan is shrouded in uncertainty. The province has been plagued by militancy, poverty, and underdevelopment for years. Hundreds of schools have been destroyed by militancy and the education sector has suffered immensely.

The provincial government has been struggling to provide quality education to the people of Balochistan. The government has been making efforts to improve the education sector but the results have been mixed. There have been some successes but the overall situation remains bleak. The future of schools in Balochistan depends on the ability of the provincial government to improve the education sector. The government needs to provide quality education to the people of Balochistan. It also needs to improve the infrastructure and facilities in schools. Only then will the future of schools in Balochistan be bright.