ISLAMABAD  -   Experts at a roundtable discussion have stressed that Pakistan needs structural and pro-people reforms, whereby sufficient resources are raised to increase the education budget to at least 5 percent of GDP.

The seminar, arranged by the Society for Access to Quality Education (SAQE), in collaboration with Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA), Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), and Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS), to highlight the pressing issues surrounding education.

Former parliamentarians including Asiya Nasir, Farhatullah Babar, Shahida Akhtar and Senator Fauzia Arshad were among the participants of the discussion.

In his welcome address, Zehra Arshad, Executive Director of SAQE, said, “We aim to elevate education among the top points in the country’s political agenda. Our aspiration is for education reform and improvement to persist as a top priority, regardless of whichever political party assumes power in next year’s general elections.”

Reiterating the importance of the event, Executive Director PIPS, Muhammad Anwar said, “We hope to set the stage for informed and focused discussions on education in the lead-up to the upcoming general elections.”

Mukhtar Ahmed, Executive Director, CPDI, shedding light on the political economy of education shared said that without substantially raising the education budget, it wouldn’t be possible to provide quality education to all of our children”.

Areebah Shahid, Executive Director of PYCA, highlighted the plight of children with disabilities recommended said instead of investing in expensive special education complexes that can only cater to a very small number of students, mainstream schools need to be made inclusive and disability- friendly.

During the discussion, various Senators and political leaders from across party lines shared their views on the legal framework for education as a fundamental right in Pakistan and discussed ideas, priorities, and policies for education reforms.

A charter of demands was presented to the political leadership, emphasizing inclusive and quality education for all.

Key measures highlighted in the Charter included bringing marginalized groups like girls, minorities, and children with disabilities back to school, reallocating funds for their inclusion, and expediting the reconstruction of schools damaged by last year’s floods.

It also stressed increasing budgetary allocation, ensuring safe educational environments, enhancing teacher training, and promoting a modern, rights-based curriculum. 

The parliamentarians pledged to take back recommendations regarding inclusive education, enhanced focus on IT and vocational skills, teachers’ training, and the need for greater public investment in education to their respective party leaderships.