Continuing Malala's Dream - Educating Pakistan

The Economic Survey (2018-2019) revealed the deploring state of education in Pakistan. The government allocated only 2.9% of the country’s GDP (World Bank Statistics) to education (which is the lowest in Asia). As per the UNDP’s Human Development Report 2018, Pakistan’s Human Development Indicator (HDI) value was 0.562 (with 1 being the maximum figure) and Pakistan was ranked 150th out of 189 countries. What adds fuel to the fire is the fact that the educational indicators suggest that Pakistan is the second last in comparison to the other countries in the region (Afghanistan being the last). Moreover, all regional countries have shown improvement in their HDIs except Pakistan.

The literacy rate in Pakistan is 62.3% and out of the male population, about 71.6% are literate and out of the female population, 51.8% are literate. In ASER 2018 amongst the 17% out-of- school children (age 6-16 years), 7% were males and 10% were females. The gender gap in education is due to the cultural stigma attached to the education of girls in Pakistan.

According to ASER 2018, there are a total of 22.8 million out of school children which is about half the children in Pakistan. This shocking statistic and the poor state of Education in Pakistan since the very beginning is the very reason that Fatima Memorial Hospital took the initiative of commencing the NUR Community Outreach Program (NCOP) in the year 1985. The objective of NCOP is to act as a catalyst of change in order to bring about socio-economic development of the underprivileged communities, via an integrated approach to education, healthcare and economic empowerment.

NUR Foundation has been providing education to the underprivileged communities (without any discrimination of age/gender/caste/religion, etc) through its chain of formal and informal schools in underdeveloped and neglected areas of Lahore. Every year, approximately 1800 students pass out from our schools. The current students enrolled in NCOP Schools located in Malikpur/Talwara, Lakhudair, Nainsukh and Gajjumatta total 1476.

In addition to this, NUR Foundation has also started the initiative of Adult Literacy Program in which 30 adult females are currently enrolled. The objective of this program is to provide the basic level of education to adult women who have never been to a school before.

The number of students wanting to be enrolled in our schools is rising day by day but the funds to accommodate them are limited. Also, in order to improve the quality of teaching and the overall quality of education, we require funds to train our teachers, construct a college building and develop proper facilities like computer labs and libraries. To provide such resources/facilities to our students, we rely on the generous donations of our esteemed donors.

According to Benjamin Franklin, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Therefore, we request you all to join hands with us and invest in the future of children to take them out of the dark abyss of illiteracy. Thank you!

There are about 22.6 million out-of-school girls or boys – which makes up around half (44%) of all children in Pakistan. Out of the children enrolled in school, the vast majority receives an education of poor quality. This is because 43% of the government schools lack the basic facilities including furniture, running water, bathrooms, electricity and boundary walls. Also, 21% of the government primary schools are operating with a single teacher while 14% of the schools have a single classroom. 

In addition to this, according to a report by Pakistan Economic Survey (2017-2018), the literacy rate for entire Pakistan (including 10 years old and above) is 58% and statistics collected by Alif Ailaan suggest that there are currently 25.02 million out of school children between the ages of 5 and 16. What is worse is that the proportion of out-of-school children (OOSC) increases as the level of education rises so by the time that the children reach the higher-secondary level, almost 85% are not in school. Also, due to the cultural stigma attached to the education of girls, the literacy rate of females is 48% while that of males is 70%. According to the Human Development Reports, Pakistan is ranked 146^th in Education (11 ranks below our neighboring country, India). Moreover, only 2.8% of the country’s GDP is spent on Education (The World Bank Statistics). 

Therefore, there is a dire need of improving the education system in Pakistan and hence, Fatima Memorial System took the initiative of starting the NUR Outreach program in the year 1985 with the aim of acting as a catalyst of change in order to bring about socio-economic development of the underprivileged communities, via an integrated approach to education, healthcare and economic empowerment.

NUR Foundation is providing education to indigent communities (irrespective of age and gender) in the form of formal and informal schools in remote and backward areas of Lahore. Every year, 1850 students pass out from our school and colleges. Furthermore, NUR Foundation has also recently started an Adult Literacy Program in which 25 women are enrolled currently. The purpose of this program is to provide basic level of education to adult women who have never been enrolled in a school before.

In order for us to provide quality education to our children, we need to provide proper training to our teachers; construct a college building; arrange for other educational resources (like books, stationary, furniture, etc) and develop proper facilities (like computer labs and libraries). To cater to the needs of the children at our school and colleges, we rely on the donations of our generous donors.

According to Quaid-e-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, “There are two powers in the world, one is the sword and the other is the pen.” And Malala Yousafzai said, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” Therefore, we urge our esteemed donors to join hands with NUR foundation in the cause of providing quality education to underprivileged kids irrespective of gender.

Brigham Young was so right in asserting, “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation.” Hence, step up, step out and be a ray of hope for generations of children currently living in the dark pits of illiteracy.

Thank you.