The next day, Pakistan, a sovereign state since 1947, will see only the second successive transition in democratic power
But I have a question: are all people informed enough to decide the fate? Are all voters equally aware of the choices they will make, and their repercussions? Of course, not
The only requirement is that you need to have a national identity card (NIC), effectively making anyone over 18 years of age eligible to decide the country’s destiny
But if we were to add the requirement of having a matriculation/high school certificate at the time of casting the vote
Critics would argue this is impractical, and would needlessly eliminate a huge portion of the population
The counter is that this need not be a requirement for the next elections
Make it a vision 2028 or 2033
Make it a long-term plan for the next 20 years, giving enough time for elected members to build schools in their constituencies, provide thousands of jobs to teachers, clerical staff, senior management and construction workers
Add to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) through more work for the construction, steel, and services industries
Moreover, a matriculation only requires 12 years of education
I am being generous when I say give them 20 years
Take the extra eight for construction, enrolment and awareness
Some would now say Pakistan doesn’t have the budget for such a programme
The country spends close to Rs700 billion on education, roughly 2% of GDP, on the sector each year
Still, the literacy rate in the country is no better than 58%
According to a report published a few years ago, largely due to the fact that education is not a widely reported topic, as many as 66% of children in Balochistan and 51% in Sindh are out of school, followed by Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) with 47% and 34%, respectively
These are estimated figures, and by no means capture the scenario
The literacy rate of 58% is an astronomically exaggerated figure even by the definition of the ability of a person to read and write a simple letter with understanding in any language
So where does the money go? If even Rs700 billion isn’t enough, I don’t know what will be
If its falls short, open accounts in banking institutions
You want to crowdfund a dam
How about you crowdfund education! Worried about getting teachers to go to far-flung areas? How about you use the same students who have recently passed or finished their education by offering them jobs as teachers in the same school
You have created jobs straightaway
Never mind Pakistan’s millennium development goals or the sustainable development goals
Forget those
The country hasn’t met them, and probably won’t
But you put the requirement of a high school or matriculation certificate to casting a vote, and all election candidates vying for a place in the elections will look to increase school enrolment and literacy levels in their constituencies
It may give current elected members a headstart, but increasing awareness through education means the voter can no longer be fooled by cosmetic measures
The voter is now a much more aware, much more educated, and a much more informed person before stepping into the ballot box
The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees education to every child aged five-16 years, and you know what, it is free and compulsory
But at the end of the day, Pakistan will never implement any step that would put it on the path of growth, prosperity and sustainable development
We will argue, fight, abuse and remain in misery
For this is our curse
We have lived it for 71 years, and we will continue to do so
We lack the will to sacrifice
Some are fortunate, but remain oblivious
Several are less fortunate, but unaware
A few of us are just outright corrupt
| Date: | 24-Jul-2018 | Reference: | View Original Link |
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