Plan Development Process and Frameworks
3.1. THE SECTOR ANALYSIS 3.2. OBJECTIVES OF ESA 3.3. METHODS OF COLLECTION OF INFORMATION 3.4. KEY FRAMEWORKS 4. EDUCATION STRUCTURES AND PROCESSES IN BALOCHISTAN
3. Plan Development Process and Frameworks
Balochistan Education Sector Plan (BESP) 2020-25 has been developed through a consultative process in two stages. The first stage ended with the development of the Education Sector Analysis, which lay the basis for the strategies in BESP. The sector strategies were then reviewed jointly with different stakeholders for finalization.
The Sector Analysis
3.1. The Sector Analysis
The Sector Analysis was undertaken to review the issues and their causes in school education and technical and vocational education in Balochistan. The analysis was undertaken based on the requirements of Articles 25 A and 37b of the Constitution, Balochistan Compulsory Education Act 2014, and the SDGs, specifically SDG 4. The following thematic areas were finalized for the ESA:
Table 3-1Thematic Groups
Thematic Groups
Theme 1: Learning
Both Article 25A and SDG 4 targets cannot be achieved without major improvements in learning or quality of education. This has been added through an approach that looks at the entire value chain of learning: teachers, curriculum, textbooks, child welfare and the classroom practices.
Theme 2: Girls Education
Girls’ education has historically been seen in terms of access and participation (even the previous BESP was mostly limited to this aspect). There are other dimensions that have been ignored in the past, including, a more exhaustive discussion on causes for low participation rates. This is again critical for Article 25A, SDG 4 and SDG 5.
Theme 3: Out of School Children
BESP 2013-18 looked at the issue from a perspective of access and participation. The debate on out of school children was started after its approval. The latter has now been used as the target for the analysis.
Theme 4: Non Formal Education and ALP
SDG 4, SDG 5 and SDG 8 reinforced the importance of this area that had been given a low priority for a long time. Without a strong NFE (especially targeting out of school children) targets of Article 25A will not be possible to achieve.
Theme 5: School Readiness
This is an important component of the learning chain but has been pulled out separately because of its peculiar issues. Again a requisite of SDG 4 (Target 4.2.1).
Theme 6: Technical and Vocational Education and Training
An important area for economic development of Balochistan in view of its existing economic assets, potential opportunities in the near future and the youth bulge. It also derives partly from SDG 4 and SDG 8.
Theme 7: Governance & Management
No target can be achieved without an effective governance and management system focused on the right issues. Organisations, systems and processes are components of the discussion in this thematic area.
Theme 8: Financing
An important component and enabler. In addition to allocation and utilization, efficiency of money used was also analysed.
Theme 9: Science, Mathematics, Information Technology
This can again be seen as a subset of quality education but given its importance and poor performance the area has been separated out as a theme.
Theme 10: Data and Research
This also emerged from the discussions as a critical enabler. Limitations of data and research handicap development of education and achievement of any major goal.
Theme 11: Inclusive Education
Another critical area which is covered by both SDG 4, SDG 10 and Article 25A. It has been an area of low priority for years despite being part of BESP 2013-18 and other documents.
All of the above thematic areas included the following themes to the extent applicable to specific topic:
1. Gender
2. Environment
3. Disaster Risk Reduction
4. Refugees
5. School Health & Nutrition
6. Social Cohesion/Peace building
7. Infrastructure & Equipment/Materials
8. Community Participation/PPP
9. Capacity
Objectives of ESA
3.2. Objectives of ESA
The Education Sector Analysis looked at the following:
1. Progress towards targets of Article 25A of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Sustainable Development Goal 4 and other relevant SDGs.
2. Progress in the implementation of Balochistan Education Sector Plan 2013-18.
3. Causes of the differences between the required and actual targets where the causes analysed include:
i. Gaps in past policies and plans in terms of coverage of issues, prioritisation, approaches and implementation.
ii. Capacity constraints in the education sector institutional structures and personnel, and the context in which the education sector operates.
iii. Demand-side factors that impede effective improvements in education. These are contextual conditions in the province as a whole and within communities.
iv. Environmental conditions, including perceptions and approaches of senior political leadership that impact education service delivery.
Methods of Collection of Information
3.3. Methods of Collection of Information
Each of the above thematic areas was analysed through four processes employed for collection of information and the results from all have been triangulated for conclusions.
I. Desk Research: Covered secondary data, reports and research conducted on the various thematic areas described above.
II. Thematic Group Discussions: Included groups of individuals with knowledge of the respective area, working within the government and outside.
Each thematic group consisted of 8 to 12 members. Given the complexity of the Learning theme, this group was broken up into separate smaller groups. This is explained in greater detail below.
III. District Consultations: Education takes place in schools. Districts visits were designed to get a better understanding of the processes in schools and districts that have a direct bearing on the processes and outcomes in schools. Students, teachers, district education administrators, deputy commissioners and communities were consulted.
IV. SWOT Analysis of Organisations in the educational administration
Table 3-2 Consultations conducted for ESA
After collection and analysis of information causative models were drawn for each sub-theme, as well as, the systemic level analysis, connecting all sub-areas. These formed the basis for eventual strategy development for the sector plan. Additionally, a ‘Consultative Group’ was formed of government personnel with experience of education in the past. Five Consultative Group meetings were held before the finalization of the findings of the ESA and the strategies and another two on the draft sector plan. Table 3-2 details the number of meetings and persons consulted during the process.
Key Frameworks
3.4. Key Frameworks
The Plan has been built on two main frameworks. Provisions in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Sustainable Development Goals 4, 5 and 8. The relevant provisions of the Constitution are as follows:
Article 25A
3.4.1. Article 25A
Article 25A, inserted in 2009 as a result of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, covers basic education as a fundamental right. It reads as follows:
"The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law.”
Based on the above Balochistan Assembly passed the Balochistan Compulsory Education Act 2014. The Act provides a detailed legal framework for the implementation of Article 25A. The Balochistan Compulsory Education Act 2014 was promulgated by the provincial assembly to operationalise the Constitution’s requirements as enunciated in Article 25A.
Benchmarking for Article 25A
I. Benchmarking for Article 25A
Performance against Article 25A and the Balochistan Compulsory Act 2014 can be assessed against a set of indicators that are illustrated below (Table 3-3), along with Balochistan’s performance against them.
Table 3-3 Indicators
The table is self-explanatory, which provides a snapshot of the situation of the education sector.
Projections for Article 25A
II. Projections for Article 25A
To explain the current state of affairs and the challenges ahead Table 3-4 sets out the key indicators for Article 25A, the required targets, their current value and projections. These projections have been made at three levels: if the current trend continues, if it doubles and if the rate of Improvement increases threefold. Four indicators have been used for the purpose: literacy rate, NER primary, NER middle and NER secondary.
Table 3-4 Projections for Balochistan
At the current rate, NER of 100 for primary will be achieved by Balochistan only in the year 2052. If the rate of improvement doubles, then the same will be achieved in 2034 and if it triples then in the year 2028. For middle NER, the requisite value of 100 will be reached in the year 2098 if the current improvement rate persists. At twice the effort, this will be achieved in 2057 and at three times the effort in 2043. The literacy rate of 100% will be achieved in 2095 if the current rate of improvement remains unaltered. If it doubles then, it will be achieved in 2055 and at three times the effort, it will be achieved in 2042.
These projections show the massive effort required to fulfil the Constitutional mandate in terms of school participation and Non formal education (NFE) in Balochistan and the extent of systemic changes necessary to break the current trends and accelerate progress.
Article 37b
3.4.2. Article 37b
Article 37b of the Constitution calls upon the state to ensure universal adult literacy. The Plan covers adult literacy and non-formal basic education for out of school children as a critical component to remove educational deficits. The figures in Table 3-4 above also show the situation of literacy.
Sustainable Development Goals
3.4.3. Sustainable Development Goals
In addition to the Constitutional requirement of Article 25A, Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) also guides the ESA’s objectives. SDG 4 reads as follows:
“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”
32 Data for Current Values is from PSLM survey 2014-15, Bureau of Statistics, Pakistan
It is further divided into 8 targets:
Table 3-5 Targets of SDG-4
Targets of SDG 4
Targets of SDG 4
| 4.1 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes | 4.1.1 Proportion of children and young people: (a) in grades 2/3; (b) at the end of primary; and (c) at the end of lower secondary achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics, by gender |
|---|---|
| 4.2 By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education | 4.2.1 Proportion of children under 5 years of age who are developmentally on track in health, learning and psychosocial well- being, by gender 4.2.2 Participation rate in organised learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by gender |
| 4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university | 4.3.1 Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by gender |
| 4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship | 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with information and communications technology (ICT) skills, by type of skill |
| 4.5 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations | 4.5.1 Parity indices (female/male, rural/urban, bottom/top wealth quintile and others such as disability status, indigenous peoples and conflict-affected, as data become available) for all education indicators on this list that can be disaggregated |
| 4.6 By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy | 4.6.1 Percentage of population in a given age group achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills, by gender |
| 4.7 By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development | 4.7.1 Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development, including gender equality and human rights, are mainstreamed at all levels in: (a) national education policies, (b) curricula, (c) teacher education and (d) student assessment |
| 4.A Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all | 4.A.1 Proportion of schools with access to: (a) electricity; (b) the Internet for pedagogical purposes; (c) computers for pedagogical purposes; (d) adapted infrastructure and materials for students with disabilities; (e) basic drinking water; (f) single-sex basic sanitation facilities; and (g) basic handwashing facilities (as per the WASH indicator definitions) |
| 4.B By 2020, substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programs, in developed countries and other developing countries | 4.B.1 Volume of official development assistance flows for scholarships by sector and type of study |
| 4.C By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States | 4.C.1 Proportion of teachers in: (a) pre- primary; (b) primary; (c) lower secondary; and (d) upper secondary education who have received at least the minimum organised teacher training (e.g. pedagogical training) pre-service or in-service required for teaching at the relevant level in a given country |
Additionally, the following two SDGs are also directly relevant to the analysis and eventual implementation:
Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Gender equality is also covered in SDG 4 but limited to opportunities in school. As education needs to change gender attitudes SDG 5 also becomes relevant to the analysis33.
Sustainable Development Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. SDG 8 covers economic growth and employment from a comprehensive perspective. It is relevant to the technical and vocational education covered in BESP, as well as, general education.
33 All SDGs need a response from education. As gender is one of the most glaring issues within education in Balochistan the analysis has been deepened as compared to some of the other areas covered by SDGs.
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