The Planning Commission’s District Education Performance Index Report 2023 highlights serious shortcomings in the delivery of the public education system in Pakistan, which has now largely been reduced to serving the children of poor parents who cannot afford private schools nor can force the concerned authorities to behave well.

Like all previous education surveys and research studies, this report also confirms that the ship of education is sinking, despite various ongoing reforms and legislations declaring education as a fundamental right. The report notes some progress in expanding educational opportunities, but they appear insufficient given that the number of out-of-school children has gone up from approximately 22 million to 25.6 million over the past decade.

Of these, 79 per cent have never attended school. Even more alarming is the performance of those enrolled kids, as the report indicates that 77 per cent of children aged 10 cannot read age-appropriate text. Isn’t this a clear indication of a collapsed education system? Shouldn’t some heads roll?

Will the report compel the country’s rulers to take public education seriously beyond rhetoric and cosmetic efforts such as........

© The News International