Pakistan is once again approaching budget season. Both the federal and provincial governments are busy preparing their financial plans, and within the next few days, the budget will be presented to the public. Citizens are anxiously waiting to see how much allocation will be made for education, health, public welfare, and other essential sectors.
Traditionally, the budget is often described as a maze of complicated figures and statistics. For the common citizen, these complex numbers are difficult to comprehend. All that ordinary people can do is hope that the upcoming financial plans may bring some form of relief for them. Today, however, my focus is specifically on the education budget. Unfortunately, education in Pakistan has consistently remained low on the list of government priorities. This is despite the globally acknowledged reality that nations which achieved rapid progress and development did so by prioritising education and investing heavily in it.
There is no denying that the progress of an individual, a family, or an entire nation depends upon education, research, and skill development. In today’s world of science and technology, this importance has increased even further. Yet in Pakistan, we are still struggling to achieve the goal of 100% primary education after decades of effort. Various educational programs are launched from time to time, and although some improvements are seen, the targets remain largely unmet. Tragically, nearly 25 million children in Pakistan are still out of school, a large number of them girls. The other side of the picture is equally alarming: even those children who do attend schools often face poor-quality education and inadequate infrastructure. This situation is not confined to schools alone; it is equally visible in public colleges and universities.
Tragically, nearly 25 million children in Pakistan are still out of school, a large number of them girls.
Since childhood, we have repeatedly heard the United Nations recommendation that any country aspiring for development should allocate at least 4 to 6 per cent of its GDP to education. Pakistan, however, spends barely around 2 per cent of its GDP on this critical sector. Undoubtedly, Pakistan faces serious economic challenges, but the real question is: if we can spend on other sectors, why can we not invest adequately in education? After all, this concerns our younger generation and the future of the country itself. In fact, even if it requires cuts in other sectors, education deserves greater allocation, just as Pakistan once prioritised defence and its nuclear program.
Every successive government continued investing in the nuclear program, and eventually Pakistan emerged as a nuclear power. Years later, when Pakistan successfully shot down Indian Rafale jets, the world witnessed the country’s military strength. Had education received the same consistency of investment and national commitment, the results would have been equally transformative.
If we truly wish to learn, examples from developed nations are before us. These countries turned education into the foundation of national progress. Malaysia is often cited in this regard. During his tenure, Dr Mahathir Mohamad reportedly allocated a substantial portion of the national budget, around 25 per cent, to education. Today, the results are visible in Malaysia’s remarkable development. Its quality education system not only serves Malaysian youth but also attracts students from across the world. Due to its strong educational standards, Malaysia even earns valuable foreign exchange through education.
Similarly, countries like South Korea, Japan, and Finland invested consistently in education. Through this investment, they made extraordinary advancements in research and technology and significantly strengthened their economies. Their stories are deeply instructive. Japan and South Korea were once devastated by war, poverty, and economic collapse. Japan, in particular, had been completely shattered after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Yet Japanese leadership shifted its focus toward education, technology, and industry. Today, Japan enjoys nearly 100 per cent literacy. A famous saying about Japan states that the country has proved that educated human resources are more valuable than natural resources.
South Korea faced a similar fate. Until the 1950s, it was counted among the poorest countries in the world. However, it adopted an education-driven development model and invested continuously in the sector. Today, its literacy rate is among the highest globally. In short, both countries made education and skill development their national priorities. As a result, they achieved extraordinary economic growth and emerged as global powers in technology and industry.
Sadly, Pakistan never pursued such long-term planning. Had we adopted the same approach as Japan and South Korea, an educational revolution could have transformed our society by now. Many of the economic and social crises we face today might never have emerged.
Regrettably, even today, our governments appear unable to formulate long-term strategies for education. One can only hope that Pakistan will finally learn from the examples of Japan and South Korea, make education its foremost priority, adopt long-term planning, and formulate a solid national strategy for the sector.
At this critical stage of budget-making, it is the responsibility of both federal and provincial governments to allocate maximum possible funds for education. They must understand that spending on education is not an expense; it is an investment that yields long-term returns. It is important to understand that reviving public educational institutions, ensuring financial autonomy, teacher training, digitalisation, research initiatives, artificial intelligence, and many other emerging educational needs all require substantial funding. It is imperative that governments allocate sufficient resources to the education sector so that these critical needs can finally be addressed.
The writer is a Professor of Media and Communication Studies and a broadcast media expert. She currently serves as Chairperson of the Department of Film and Broadcasting at Punjab University