PAKISTAN is an unequal society, and this inequality is perpetuated by the continued existence of high-fee private sector of education. Well-off parents can afford expensive education but the vast majority of the parents can’t pay for a private education.

According to Pakistan Education Statistics 2014-15, only 37pc of students attend private schools; the rest go to public schools.

Private schools fees run into hundreds of thousands rupee.

The route to high-paying, elite jobs is mainly through private, English-medium schools offering O and A levels and well-established, prestigious universities in and outside the country. Top jobs in civil service, law, the media, armed forces and in banking and commerce sectors are held by former private school pupils.

So class background and the ability to pay fee, rather than academic ability, can lead to positions of power and influence.

Public schools are beset by many problems. Sometimes there is one teacher for 100 students unlike private schools, where classes tend to be smaller allowing individual attention.

Very often private schools have better resources and facilities which mean pupils have a greater chance of educational success. The high income from fees allows private institutions to better train their teachers and spend more on each student compared to state schools.

The existence of privileged private sector of education undermines the principal of equal educational opportunity, meritocracy and social equality.

Saad Khosa

Quetta

Published in Dawn September 28th, 2016