KARACHI: Stakeholders agreed on the need to redefine education as a means of protection, both in its creation and use. They were speaking at a youth conference on ‘Challenges and Solutions for 21st Century Youth,’ organised by the Sindh Sports and Youth Affairs Department.

Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that education should be seen as a source of security. “Education instills a sense of protection. We want to make it a source of security for everyone.

Only when our youth feel secure can they rise above discrimination and work toward protecting others,” he added.

The minister pointed to systemic issues within the education sector, including outdated policies and a lack of prioritisation by the state. “The root cause of these issues lies in the outdated policies of the state, where education was never truly prioritized,” he added.

“During pro-democracy movements, there were deliberate efforts to undermine Sindh’s education system. Even today, we continue to fight for constitutional rights.”

Minister Shah referred to the disproportionate budgetary allocations for education in Sindh, stating that 92% is spent on salaries and operational costs, leaving only 2 percent for developmental projects.

He acknowledged the province’s shortcomings but called on society to take collective responsibility. “We all need to play our part,” he added.

Shah also touched on the issue of population growth and its impact on education.

He criticised the lack of seriousness regarding population control, noting that 25 million children are currently paying for their education, while an equal number are out of school.

“It is tragic that we lack accurate statistics, and we only address our problems much later,” he said, also pointing to the devastating impact of climate change.

“Rains and floods in Sindh have destroyed 20,000 schools. Although the federal government has agreed to help rehabilitate these schools, the process will take three years, and only 4,000 schools are expected to be restored in that time.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, February, 03 2025

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