akistan, Taleem aur Ikkeesvin Sadi is a book by Dr Shahid Siddiqui, a renowned scholar and educationist with extensive experience in teaching, research, and educational administration. With a PhD in linguistics from the University of Toronto, Dr Siddiqui has served at Aga Khan University, the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute, the Lahore University of Management Sciences, the National University of Modern Languages and Allama Iqbal Open University, where as its vice chancellor, he implemented a holistic and inclusive approach. Currently, he is the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Media Studies, Art and Design at the Lahore School of Economics.

The book is a timely take on Pakistan’s perennial problem of policy lethargy and educational disparities, i.e. various school systems, medium rate of literacy, pedagogical conservatism, commercialisation of the education sector, derogation of local languages, and, above all, lack of a holistic approach to curricula, classrooms and centres of excellence. Divided into eleven chapters, which are critically researched and thematically connected, the book is an anthology of critical pedagogy, effective communication, non-conventional curriculum development and, importantly, eradication of socioeconomic disparities through education.

The author has critically analysed various policy documents and their sociopolitical context, highlighting the gaps, contradictions and challenges in planning and implementing educational policies since 1947. The country’s first education-related policy framework was introduced under the guidance of its founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in 1947. The nascent Pakistani state desired to realise equitable educational facilities, universal standards and quantifiable outcomes for all. Moreover, compulsory and free education (at primary and elementary levels) along with transitioning to Urdu as the sole language of the government were set as initial targets. Unfortunately, these were never achieved.

From the Sharif Commission Report (1959) to the National Education Policy (2009), lofty objectives with respect to increase in enrolment and literacy rate, women and vocational education, teacher’s training, higher and special education as well as character building in terms of internalisation of Islamic values were mentioned. However, the policy measures looked good on the paper but the outcomes were not so good. Empirically speaking, none of the national education policies, whether adopted in 1970 or 1998, achieved its stated objectives.

It is a valuable contribution to the field of education in Pakistan, as it provides a comprehensive and critical overview of the education policies and their implications for the development and progress of the country in the 21st Century.

Free and compulsory education for all Pakistanis has not been realised despite the constitutional obligation (Article 25-A). Similarly, concrete measures have not been taken by the governments to make Urdu the official language as desired in the constitution. As far as the net enrollment rate of children in schools is concerned, Pakistan is performing abysmally, with more than 25 million children out of schools. Governments have failed to provide state-of-the-art educational facilities for children of the underserved communities. Pakistan’s literacy rate (62.8 per cent) is the second lowest in the SAARC; we are ahead of only Afghanistan (37.27 per cent), as per the data shared by the author.

Importantly, public expenditure on higher education has been decreasing over the years, further constraining research and publication in universities. Generally, education has been neglected by the policymakers in terms of financial support. For example, “education was allocated 2.1 per cent of the GDP in 2013-14. The ratio rose to 2.2 per cent of the GDP in 2014-15 and 2.3 per cent in 2015-16. However, it went down to 2.2 per cent of the GDP in 2017-18… and declined to 1.7 per cent [of GDP] in the 2022 budget.” All this after, the National Education Policy (2009) had determined that the government will allocate 7 per cent of the GDP for education by 2015. In practice, the policymakers acted to the contrary.

The author has enumerated and analysed various factors behind the ineffectiveness of education policies. These include lack of political will and ownership, challenges of capacity and unreliable data (i.e. there are inconsistent data sets on the rate of literacy in the country), imported reform packages, lack of (financial) resources and, above all, dearth of monitoring and accountability mechanisms.

In order to develop in qualitative terms in the 21^st Century, the author argues that Pakistani policy makers have to accord top priority to quality education grounded in the concept of critical learning, creativity, effective communication and social cooperation. Moreover, policymakers, educators and parents must shun the outdated concepts and practices such as rote learning and engage with the students in particular and the youth in general in a manner that reflects respect, equity, empathy and a dedicated focus on participatory learning.

The book is well-researched and well-written, drawing on various sources such as (official) policy documents. Hence, it is a valuable contribution to the field of education in Pakistan. It provides a comprehensive overview of the education policies and their implications for the development and progress of the country in the 21st century. The book is recommended for policymakers, educators, researchers and students interested in the education system and policies, the latest educational trends and policy frameworks, and possibilities for a qualitative change in Pakistan.

Pakistan, Taleem aur Ikkeesvin Sadi

Author: Shahid Siddiqui

Publisher: Book Corner, 2023

Pages: 288

The reviewer teaches at the Lahore School of Economics (LSE). He can be reached at ejaz.bhatty@gmail.com