4533 teachers have been absent from their duties for the last few months, leading to thousands of school closures in the province of Sindh. With the added destruction caused by floods, the on-ground realities are undoubtedly worse. Poor condition of schools, lack of educational reform and government neglect has contributed towards this educational crisis and it seems as though no one is willing to take charge and restructure the existing approach. Access to education is a right that all governments must uphold and it is unclear why the provincial government is distracted.
The conditions of schools in Sindh are deplorable; at least 6407 schools exist without necessary infrastructure. In fact, even basic requirements like roofs and furniture are missing. With the floods devastating all of Sindh, countless schools have also been wiped away or left without walls. The situation has only deteriorated with time and it seems as though there is no one around who cares enough to provide and implement solutions. So how can we expect teachers to show up when the standard that has been set by the authorities is so devastatingly low?
Perhaps an explanation for why there has been such severe neglect of the education sector is the ensuing political turmoil in the country. It has proven to be rather distracting from day-to-day governance and would explain why no effort has been made to investigate the teachers’ disappearance, understand their grievances and address them. Out of this as well, more than 45 percent of all important posts—27 positions in total—of the Sindh education department are vacant. This should be extremely concerning; there are simply no government officials who are drafting, amending or embarking upon educational reform. How can we expect the situation to get better when those who are supposed to make it better have not even been appointed?
Access to quality education is an inalienable right and it is a shame that the government’s attitude towards guaranteeing this to millions of innocent children has been so careless. We need reform, and that too immediately. Otherwise, we are compromising on the future of the country.