QUETTA: The spokesperson of the Baloch Students Organization said in a statement that according to a recent report by the Pakistan Institute of Education, Balochistan ranks as the most underdeveloped Balochistan in terms of educational indicators. The report states that the literacy rate in Balochistan stands at 44 percent, while nearly three million children remain out of school.
The BSO said the increasing rate of educational backwardness in Balochistan is alarming. It added that the neglect of education in the region is a continuation of anti-education policies by the ruling authorities, which have systematically pushed the education sector to the brink of collapse. In this context, the organization criticized the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan for finalizing only 121 admissions out of 333 medical seats allocated for Balochistan, describing it as a reflection of policies that are detrimental to students.
The spokesperson further stated that recent educational reports expose the severe state of education in Balochistan. At a time when Balochistan already suffers from a weak educational structure and a severe shortage of doctors in the healthcare sector resulting in dozens of deaths on a daily basis the reduction in medical seats and the limited education budget represent a continuation of what the organization described as a colonial style of governance, under which marginalized nations are kept in intellectual, social, and economic backwardness.
The BSO demanded that, considering the alarming educational situation in Balochistan, an educational emergency should be declared and practical measures should be implemented. These measures include the restoration of around 3,000 ghost schools, reconstruction of quality educational infrastructure, the establishment of new girls’ schools, and the provision of equal digital learning opportunities. The organization also called for the immediate restoration of all 333 medical seats allocated for students from Balochistan and demanded transparency in the admission process.
