Pakistan's Education Sector Needs Urgent Overhaul, Lessons from Sri Lanka and Vietnam
Published on 5.17.25
Pakistan's education sector has long been plagued by inadequate investment and policy decisions that prioritize GDP growth over people-centred outcomes, resulting in a poor performance in the Human Development Index (HDI). The country can draw lessons from nations like Sri Lanka and Vietnam, which have achieved significant development progress through strategic investments and equitable policy decisions.
In Pakistan, the Prime Minister's Laptop Scheme (Phase IV) aims to provide laptops to youth, enabling them to be productive members of society. However, critics argue that this initiative is merely a Band-Aid solution, failing to address the root causes of Pakistan's poor education system. The country needs to reorient its strategy by investing heavily in education and addressing gender disparities through policies promoting female participation.
Pakistan can learn from Sri Lanka's approach to prioritizing human development over profit, which has led to improved learning outcomes and a more skilled workforce. Similarly, Vietnam's focus on technology-enabled education has enabled the country to leapfrog traditional barriers to development. Pakistan can leverage technology to support people-centred governance and transparent service delivery in its education sector.