KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Monem Zafar Khan has blamed widespread corruption and flawed government policies for keeping more than 7.8 million children out of school in Sindh alone, out of a total of 26 million nationwide.
Speaking at a book and schoolbag distribution ceremony organized on Thursday by JI’s New Karachi Town chapter, Monem Zafar Khan said the public education sector had once produced exceptional individuals such as the late nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. He lamented that the same institutions have now been devastated due to mismanagement and corrupt practices by successive governments and an incompetent administration.
He pointed out that despite the Sindh government allocating over Rs613 billion for education, the sector continues to deteriorate. He said the public schooling system had been on a sharp decline for the last two decades, giving rise to an unchecked boom in private schools and creating a wider gap between social classes.
Monem Zafar Khan also highlighted the role of vested interests and elite indifference in worsening the situation. He said that it was not just a matter of budget mismanagement, but also a deliberate neglect by those in power that has driven children away from educational institutions.
He asserted that JI has remained committed to the cause of education. Despite limited resources, the party had successfully restored over 45 public schools in nine towns of Karachi during the past two years. He announced JI's next target is to upgrade all public schools in these areas and improve student enrolment while also encouraging youth participation in sports for better physical and mental health.
The JI leader also participated in the party’s “Make Karachi Green” drive by planting a tree during the event. Reflecting on the significance of the month of August, he called on the nation to honour Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision by striving for a future where every child has access to quality and uniform education.
He reiterated that education remains the only sustainable path to national progress and revival. New Karachi Town Chairman Muhammad Yousuf and JI leader Tariq Mujtiba also addressed the ceremony.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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