March 16, 2011

Education Emergency Pakistan

Dear Publicans,

I am taking the liberty to circulate to you few highlights (actually lowlights) from a report on the state of Education in Pakistan. As Publicans, we are making a modest effort to further the cause of education but much much more needs to be done. How can we use our PAT platform to do more? Something to think about individually & collectively.

Best regards

Zaffar A. Khan (Class of 1961)

Vice Chairman

Publican Alumni Trust

Education Emergency Pakistan

Report prepared by March for Education, a project of the Pakistan Education Task Force

Report Highlights

• The economic cost of not educating Pakistan is the equivalent of one flood every year. The only difference is that this is a self-inflicted disaster.

• There is a 0% chance that the government will reach the millennium development goals by 2015 on education. On the other hand, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are all on their way to achieving the same goals. India's improvement rate is ten times that of Pakistan, Bangladesh's is twice that of Pakistan.

• But, despite this gloomy situation, determined efforts can show results in only two years. What is required is an additional spend of Rs. 100 billion, a fifty percent increase over current spend.

• At current rates of progress, no person alive today will see a Pakistan with universal education as defined in our constitution. Baluchistan would see it in 2100 or later.

• Donors are not the solution, while they grab headlines regarding their development work, government spend remains the majority by an overwhelming margin.

The complete report as well as additional information can be accessed by visiting the website www.educationemergency.com.pk