Does a period of 65 years represent a substantial period in a nation’s life? Not at all … it is but a miniscule fraction almost bordering on the negligible. This is what we get to hear from all shades of decision-makers every time someone mentions something that needs urgent attention. Regardless of how you look at the equation, it has taken us that long to realise that “education is the backbone of socio-economic development of a country and without development in this sector we cannot stand with dignity among strong nations of the world”.

The first to discover this pearl of wisdom is the province of Sindh where the Education Department has circulated it in the form of an official letter to members of the provincial legislature as well as to divisional commissioners. The letter has sought the cooperation of all concerned in identifying “ghost schools and absent teachers so that appropriate action could be taken”.

The ghost schools truly represent the Achilles’ heel of the national education system which, along with other means of corruption, continues to nibble at the potential of the country’s youth. A Transparency International report recently said the network is actively “facilitated by corrupt actors positioned in strategic posts”. It doesn’t take much to see who those ‘corrupt actors’ are. Does it?

Over half of the Pakistani children do not have access to education and the country is projected to have the largest out-of-school population, worth 3.7 million, in the region by 2015. And yet the ghost schools thrive.

In Sindh, independent organisations put the number of such schools at around six to eight thousand, and the number of absent teachers in tens of thousands. Even by official account, around 4,540 schools in the province are not “functioning properly” and the number of ghost schools was about 2,181. The numbers were part of a report prepared by the Education Department and submitted before the Sindh High Court.

Some steps taken in the past by the government and the superior judiciary failed to resolve the situation. For instance, the Supreme Court in a directive had asked officials of the senior judiciary to raid schools and catch absentee staff members. But the frequency of visits and the will to carry on with the programme gradually subsided. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was also said to be launching an investigation into the longstanding problem, but the plan never kicked off.

Against such a backdrop, the realisation that has now finally dawned on the Sindh government deserves every bit of applause that comes its way. It’s not a bad idea actually to get up on your feet and applaud. It will not be considered over-reaction … not by the Sindh government at least.

The letter concerned has quoted the education minister as stressing that the present government — which, by the way, happens to be in its second consecutive term — was committed and determined to promote education, especially in the public sector, “by all means, resources and manifestations”.

This, again, makes all the right noises and another round of applause won’t hurt, but if ‘resources’ means ‘financial resources’, the government would actually be better off thinking again. Mindless spending sprees have often led us to the wrong destinations.

For a taste of how wrong it can get, one doesn’t have to go too far. Right in the middle of middle-class Karachi, stands a school which faces a problem that is unique — well, sort of — in its orientation and dynamics. It has 18 teachers and six non-teaching staff to cater to the educational needs of (hold your breath!) five students.

The provincial education department — the same department which is planning to go after ghost schools — dishes out Rs450,000 every month to keep it going!

According to media reports that have been duly confirmed by the relevant authorities, the school was built over a large area along with a cricket ground in the 1960s. Today, it is as good as a bombed out school in Swat. While roofless, chair-less and, indeed, cheerless classrooms abound, the only cheerful place on the premises happens to be the staff room that even has a carpet on the floor. There is no prize for guessing that this is the staff room. After all, the monthly amount of Rs450,000 needs to be spent where it ‘matters’.

Ironically, the headmistress concerned blamed the Education Department for the poor maintenance of the school building, and argued that while the teachers were willing partners in the education process, they were “restricted due to a shortage of sufficient funds”. How truthful!

Even more ironically, when the relevant official was approached with the data, he said his department would collect “public donations to improve the status of the school” on an emergency basis. This he said while confirming that official funds were being issued regularly every month. Why couldn’t he ensure proper spending of the funds rather than going for donations is something that is beyond mortal comprehension. Besides, he said he was saddened by the reality. Saddened? Don’t you think he should have felt embarrassed by it?

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