The Government of Balochistan has invested time and resources in a number of structural and governance reforms since 2013. These reforms have largely been to address the challenges of providing improved infrastructure, devolving key responsibilities, and plugging the shortage of teachers through merit-based recruitment. However, the impact of these reforms is still unclear.

This was highlighted in "2013-2018 five years of education reform: Balochistan Wins, losses and challenges for the future 2018-2023", a report published by education campaign AlifAilaan on Tuesday. The launch of the report was attended by the Minister for Education Tahir Mehmood Khan and the Minister for Science and Technology Prince Ahmed Ali. Also attending were political representatives from across the country, including Zubeida Jalal, Sardar Hussain Babak, Ahmed Iqbal, Raza Haroon and Usman Ahmed Khan Kakar.

The Balochistan Education Sector Plan (2013-2018) provided a holistic strategy and roadmap for guiding the reforms process over the following five years. It put special emphasis on improving quality, equity and governance. Under BESP, the Balochistan government implemented reform initiatives like real-time monitoring, standardised testing of learning levels, restructuring of governance systems through District Education Authorities (DEA), and improved education financing. Despite these reform efforts of the provincial government, enrolment, retention, learning outcomes, and school infrastructure all continue to pose substantial challenges to the provincial authorities.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2018