Flawed PTI politics have made education a business: Siraj

KARACHI: Raising questions over the educational policy of the government, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq on Thursday asked why 30 million children are out of schools in the country despite claims of educational revolution by the government.

“As a result of the anti-education and flawed policies of the PTI-led government as well as earlier ruling regimes, education has become a business in the society,” Siraj said while addressing a gathering of the Islami Jamiat Talaba in connection with its 74th Foundation Day at the University of Karachi.

He said 30 million children of schoolgoing age are out of educational institutions because the children belonging to poor families have no other option but to go for labour to feed their siblings and parents, adding the children belonging to the ruling class are facilitated in elite class schools in the country and abroad.

The JI leader said that in the prevailing economic scenario, a common person of the society was unable to pay the fee of a professional college. “The public sector schools were deprived of basic infrastructure and even toilets,” he said, adding unfortunately the educational budget of Pakistan was the lowest as compared to other regional countries.

Lack of student unions resulted in a drastic increase in educational issues, adding: “It is totally illogical but in the country an 18-year-old man was liable to vote for a legislator but doesn’t have the right to vote for his representative in his own educational institution.” About the role of the PTI government, he said that PTI leaders had claimed of bringing about a revolution in the education and health sectors but on the ground the PTI-led government had ruined the two sectors in three years of their power.

Hailing the role of the IJT for its contribution in spreading the message of Islam among the youth, the JI chief said Islam is a complete code of life and the IJT has been doing well for helping students to realise the fact and true spirit of Islam.

He also hailed the IJT for securing the ideological identity of Pakistan and said that in the prevailing situation, the responsibilities for the IJT members have further increased.

JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the IJT has played a very positive and significant role for the society. He also shed light on the contribution of the IJT for keeping democracy alive and its struggle against dictators in the country. IJT Pakistan Nazim Hamza Muhammad Siddiqui also addressed the anniversary function.