ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) has said that the education policy needs to be revisited to ensure social mobility which will result in rapid social and economic progress.

PEW has said that education system contributing to socioeconomic disparity in the country.

“Educational inequality has become one of the most important social issues which need immediate attention of the authorities,” it said.

Flawed educational policies, budget cuts and lack of interest on the part of authorities have left majority of state-run educational institutions dysfunctional, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.

While, many private school chains in their race for profits are not only promoting negative tendencies but also threatening to reduce leveling effects of education, he added.

Dr. Murtaza Mughal said our education system has been reaffirming existing class inequalities far more than it acts to change them; it is serving to further widen the gap between rich and poor.

He said for a healthy society, success in the higher education for students from lower socioeconomic groups should be an important policy goal.

Boosting per-pupil spending and early educational intervention in low-income children can address the problem of increasing cultural and achievement gap.

Strong policy commitment is needed as countries with relatively low class inequality have prospered more than those with a greater class division, he added.

He said the government can make it mandatory for private educational institutions to reduce imbalance in the society by providing free education to a certain percentage of underprivileged children.

Dr. Murtaza Mughal argued that if madressas all across the country can provide free education to millions, private schools can also provide this facility to some poor children which will prove their social worth.

Demanding continued emphasis on social mobility through education, he said that war on poverty cannot be won without quality education for all.