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EDUCATION OVERVIEW
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- ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
- Education in Pakistan is the responsibility of the
Ministry of Education (MOE), which is headed by the Minister of Education.
The primary function of the MOE is to formulate educational policies and to
coordinate uniformity of educational objectives, practices, and standards
throughout the provinces. Funding for university education is provided
through the MOE and is administered through the Universities Grants
Commission (UGC). The MOE formulates plans and policies for universities in
coordination with the UGC, Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Planning
and Development, as well as other branches of government with ties to
education. 2.7% of the total Gross National Product is allocated to
education.
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- SIZE
- There are approximately 175,600 educational
institutions in Pakistan at the elementary, secondary, upper secondary, and
higher education levels.
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- STRUCTURE
- Primary/secondary level education is organized as
follows: primary stage (5 years); middle stage (3 years); lower secondary
stage (2 years); and upper secondary stage (2 years). Education in Pakistan
is not compulsory.
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- Vocational/technical education is administered through
the
- Provincial Education and Labor Departments. The minimum
qualifications to enter male vocational institutions, is the completion of
grade 8. The programmes
are generally two to three years in length. The minimum
qualifications to enter female vocational institutions, is the completion of
grade 5.
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- At the upper secondary level vocational programmes
are offered through the provincial Boards of Technical Education. The
Boards of Technical Education conduct the external examinations and award
diplomas. The minimum entrance requirement into these programmes
is the Secondary School Certificate.
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- Vocational/technical education is also offered at
polytechnics and colleges of technology which offer three-year programmes in
a variety of trades.
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- PRIVATE AND PUBLIC EDUCATION
- Private education exists at all levels of education in
Pakistan. The medium of
instruction is usually English and the quality of education varies. Some schools provide traditional Islamic education.
Registered private schools are required to follow government-prescribed
curricula. However, not all private schools are registered. Some schools are accredited to prepare students for the
examinations of the Cambridge University Local Examination Syndicate. Very
little government assistance is provided to private schools.
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- Until 1991, there were only two recognized private
universities, Aga Khan University established in 1983 and Lahore University
of Management Sciences established in 1985.
Since 1997, ten new private institutions have been established and
recognized by the MOE. The expansion of the private sector is due to limited
government resources, the inability of the current system to allow for
growth expansion, and the growing demand for higher education. The
government realizes that university education is expensive, especially in
sciences and technology, and has therefore encouraged education in the
private sector.
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- ACADEMIC YEAR
- The duration of the academic year is nine months, from
September to June, with some variations. There is usually a two-month
vacation in summer and a 20-day break in winter. Schools are open six hours
a day, with a 30-minute break. Friday is considered a public holiday.
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- TEACHER EDUCATION
- Teacher education is conducted in institutions under
the control of the Provincial Education Departments and Education Extension
Centres. Teacher education programmes are
offered in Government Colleges of Elementary Teachers, Government Colleges
of Education, Institutes of Education and Research, and Departments of
Education in universities. Teachers for grades 1 through 8 are required to
complete at minimum a one-year teacher-training program; admission to these
programmes is based on completion of grade 10, at minimum. Teachers for
grades 9 and 10 are required to complete a one-year teacher-training
programme for which the admission requirement is a 2-year Bachelor of
Arts/Science; the credential awarded is a Bachelor of Education. Teachers
for grades 11 and 12 are required to complete a three-year teacher-training
programme leading to a Bachelor of Education degree.
Revised: May 06, 2004
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Copyright © 2003 World Education Services.
All rights reserved.
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