The Role of Private Sector in

the Development of Education

in Pakistan.

Assigned by Dr. Amjad Ali Arain

Presented by Salman Khowaja MPHIL Education

Purpose• The Purpose of this presentation is to provide historical

descriptive analysis of various procedural trends and

developments that emerged in Pakistan for private sector

school education.

• Expand private sector role in the system of school level

education in Pakistan .

Causes of growth in the private education

sector• Poor quality of public schools (quality differentials)

• Parents value their children's security

• children get access to reasonable educational facilities

• Public does not have proper monitoring and evaluation

systems,

• Public does not have proper human resource systems,

• The teachers working the Public system have low morale,

• Provision of infrastructure is patchy

• Average poor provision of software (books, furniture and so

on) etc.

Other Private schools:

Beaconhouse School (1975),

City School (1978),

Fauji Education System (1982),

Lahore University of Management Sciences (1985),

Punjab Colleges (1985) and Roots School System (1988).

Lahore Grammar Schools

Middle-Income Groups

• Dar-e-Arqam Schools (religious dimension)

• Allied Schools

International private schools

• Pak-Turk International Schools

Introduction• The educational landscape of Pakistan has gone

through numerous transformations in the past two

decades.

• Enrollment levels have been on the rise, with net

primary enrollment rate for children 5-9 years of age

42% in 199 (PIHS 1998-99) to 57% in 2009 (PSLM

2008-09); a massive 36% point increase (you mean

15% over a decade!).

• The gender parity index for net primary enrollment has

also changed from 0.68 in 2001 to 0.84 in 2009 (UIS),

a positive trend towards gender equality.

Cont:

• In addition to the changes in enrollments, education

delivery is being done through many non-state providers,

such as for-profit private, not for profit, religious and other

secular schools. This has also increased outreach both in

urban as well as rural areas.

• According to the National Education Census (NEC) 2005, 33%

of the total children enrolled are in private institutions in

Pakistan.

• According to the Pakistan Social & Living Standards

Measurement Survey (PSLM) government schools’ primary

enrollments have gradually decreased from 75% in 2001 to

70% in 2009, whereas it was 88% in 1991 (PIHS).

Continue

• The changes in the education sector that have been taking place in Pakistan have created an environment with numerous opportunities as well as challenges in terms of policy development.

• With an increasing population of children under the age of 16 and the addition of article 25A under the 18th Amendment Act 2010 to the Constitution, the government is faced with a daunting task of enrolling all the children of age 5-16 years in the country as well as improving the quality of the education for sustained access.

• Even though the enrollment in government schools is much bigger than any other sector, the declining trend in favor of non –state providers is significant.

• The government needs to examine and collaborate with non –state partners strategically for both education provision and quality management.

Enrolment at Private sector

• The overall share for this private sector enrolment is

around 36%,

• Its enrolment 42% in pre-primary education,

• Primary stage 13%,

• Middle stage 58%

• High 45%

• Higher secondary 34 %

( National Education Policy, 2009)

Historical Development of the Private System of

Education in Pakistan

The development of education in Pakistan may be

divided into three periods:

• Period I: Pre-Independence Period (Before 1947)

• Period II: Onward Political Developments (1947 to

onwards)

• Period III: From 1979 to onwards

Private education in Pakistan has a long history dating back

prior to independence.

• Limited data suggest that private schools catered to a niche

market restricted to the big cities from 1947-1972.

• The market for private schooling was dominated by missionary run

schools (or local schools imitating the missionary model),

mainly used by the elite.

• In1972, private schools were nationalized.

• The policy was reversed in 1979. Private schools were allowed to

open and returned to the original owners.

However, government policy towards private schools was and still is

one of laissez affaire—there are no subsidies in the form of grants

to parents or schools (as in Bangladesh, the Philippines or India) so

that private schools arise and survive purely as a market based

phenomenon.

Management of School Education in United

India for the period 1946-47

School Category Private sector Local Bodies Government

Primary Schools 42.64 % 53.23% 4.50%

Middle Schools 47.09% 50.24% 2.65%

High Schools 82.73% 8.09% 9.18

Local Bodies and Private Sector in

Selected cities of Pakistan,1967

School

Location

Private

sector

Local

Bodies

Government

Rawalpindi 36.93% 39.65% 23.41%

Lahore 42.51% 28.28% 29.20%

Hyderabad 30.98% 33.33% 35.68%

Location of Privately Managed Institutions in

Pakistan 1967-68,

Region Percentage of Private School

Lahore 42.51%

Rawalpindi 40%

Hyderabad 31%

Karachi 73.38%

Quetta 22%

Pakistan 40.2%

Suggestions/Recommendation

• Local Bodies have the potential to contribute in the development of education in urban areas. Therefore, district governments may be encouraged to sponsor education in their area of jurisdiction.

• Special incentives may be given to NGOs and private sector to establish female schools in rural areas of Pakistan.

• Private sector may be encouraged to establish technical and vocational education. They may be provided soft loans in this regard.

Suggestions/Recommendation

• Rules of regulation (for opening private school) and

affiliation must be observed and strictly followed.

• Private sector should offer salary and other benefits at

par with teachers working in government system.

• Government should encourage and support private sector

in identifying and opening “ghost schools” (a term used

in Pakistan for schools that were established on paper or

schools were teachers do not come regularly but enjoy

salary).

• We further suggest, government should transfer these

schools to private sector and use these schools for

improving education of rural areas.

Conclusion

• Private sector is playing a key role in the development of

school education. The national educational policies and

plans advocated the establishment of private institutions

in the country.

• Pakistan is still struggling in achieving the targets of EFA

and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

• About 50% of the population is illiterate. The

participation rate at primary and secondary level in

rural areas of Pakistan is not satisfactory.

• Government alone cannot solve the problems of

education of this country because of limited resources.

• Involvement of private sector not only improves education

of children but will also generate a new culture of public