Sustainable life style is all about creating impact encompassing a maximum number of people who

will benefit. World organizations such as UNO is working hard to achieve the Agenda 21
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A genda_21 - similar objectives are also listed in the millennium
development goals schema. But the question arises if we are actually making any progress in
underdeveloped and developing nations? Are we creating any plausible impact in these countries?
Are we able to break open the hidden potential in these countries? I am sure there are a lot Abdul
Kalams, Muhammad Younises, Bill Gateses, Amartya Sens and a many more in these countries who
are the victims of opportunity predicament. Here I would like to talk about my own country, Pakistan.
We are a nation who is deprived of basic necessities. A major fraction of our population is below
poverty line. They are fighting for mere survival and Education is just a luxury to the deprived. Our
country is in a severe political crisis. We have issues like extremism, radicalism, fanaticism, etc. The
law and order situation is worse. Incomes are low hence children are forced to work. There is a huge
gap between the upper class and lower class, this vicious system is rendering poor to become worse
and rich are getting richer breeding socio-economic disparity. Similarly this very system provides Aclass education to a very few and has no regard for the poor. I would like to furnish some facts here
before I go any further with issues and solutions for a sustainable education plan for
Pakistan. Literacy Standing: Definition: age 15 and over can read and write Total population:
54.9% Male: 68.6% Female: 40.3% (2009 EST.) Source: (CIA Fact book) On the other hand, by
1992 the population over twenty-five had a mean of only 1.9 years of schooling. This fact gives
details about the least criteria for being considered literate. In addition to the above we have a
number of Ghost Schools Ghost schools are those public sector schools, which are registered
and funds are released annually for their development. But they exist on paper only. Their physical
existence is never seen. The Literacy rate of Pakistan will worsen if we exclude 25000 Ghost schools
which are mostly registered in Sindh and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. The Higher Education
Commission has some irrational scale to measure the performance of the universities and graduate
schools all across Pakistan. Their ranking criteria do not dig deep inside the system. They have been
issuing rankings of Universities on a very superficial basis. They do not inspect the curriculum being
taught at the graduate schools, the teaching methodology is hoary, Universities are blindly following
US education trends which were never feasible for our society, and we do not fit into it anyway. For
instance in my college I am taught a finance book which talks about the obsolete methods of
transferring funds whereas all the financial institutions are using advanced methods. The degree we
get, does not hold any practical worth. It acts as a ticket to enter the market and look for job. At
universities practical work is never a priority. Our education Ministers both Federal and provincial are
not qualified to hold their respective posts. They do not know about the latest advancements in the
world education system, they do not focus on renovating the old system; books taught at the primary
level are published by the government book board, which contains innumerous mistakes and
distorted concepts. Only a diminutive number of people who belong to the upper class or upper
middle class have the right of entry to the British system schools which are very expensive. An
average person in Pakistan cannot afford to study there. Besides that we are currently running three
consecutive systems the Matric System (old Anglo-oriental system), GCSE system, and Madersaah
system (the Islamic system), which embosses a class tag on the children at a very young age. They
grow up with that tag and end up in their particular class society. A uniform system is required just

like in UK and India that will eradicate a lot of social issues in our country leaving a large impact
benefiting a large number of people. Pakistan has a huge potential; our youth is wasting their
energies and talents doing meager jobs to earn living for their families. Sustainable education should
be the top priority of the government and all the NGOs working for a better Pakistan.
In my understanding the following changes must be brought to ensure a better education system:
1. Child labor should be illegalized providing employment to the families that they dont find trouble
surviving.
2. Schools should be built in proportion to our population.
3. High school education must be made mandatory for every individual.
4. Females should be encouraged to study. Necessary steps should be taken to eradicate social
barriers in their way to acquire education.
5. Ghost schools should be converted into real schools. They should be kept under check on regular
intervals.
6. Graduate schools and universities must set up a curriculum which is more Pakistan centric and
then gives knowledge about general world trends.
7. More emphasis should be put on the practical studies at; Students should be exposed to
maximum experience during their degree to be able to become future social entrepreneurs.
8. Cheating culture in our final board exams is rampant; the concerned authorities should take strict
action against the violation of the examination rules.
9. Since we have a large chunk of population who cannot afford Private institutions, the standard of
our public institutions should be raised by pouring in more funds, creating state of the art facilities
and hiring the well-qualified faculty.
10. Domestic politics on local dynamics of the institutes should be put an end to. As the Education
Minister of the Youth Parliament I have observed a very few people rise and others just waste their
potential, time and talent.
NGOs like The Citizens foundation, Manzil Education Foundation and a few others are working hard
to improve our present condition but we need to struggle really hard to achieve our goals of Agenda
21 sustainable education for all. I think it is not just the responsibility of the government to deliver,
the masses in general are the main stakeholders. They have greater responsibility. Their role is
much more important than the Government and NGOs. I, in my personal capacity, am volunteering
as a teacher at a summer school for unprivileged kids in my rural town. Pakistan has huge potential

to accomplish these sustainable goals. Few measures by government and cooperation by the people
is required. Extremism is a by-product of poverty, unemployment and the only solution is Education.
Educated Pakistan is a better Pakistan.
Pakistan Zindabad.