By: Muhammad Asif
Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by area, is a land of immense natural resources. However, today, it is also a hub for several serious socio-economic issues. The most alarming among these is the rapidly growing population, which has badly affected health, employment, and especially the education sector. This is not just an administrative failure but a human tragedy that requires immediate attention. Latest statistics reflect a bitter reality: approximately 3 million children of school-going age in the province are currently deprived of education. These are children who should have pens in their hands, but the pressure of a rapidly growing population and the unfair distribution of resources has snatched this basic right from them. The decay of the educational structure is not limited to a shortage of schools; the inactivity of existing ones is a major disaster. In various districts, dozens of schools remain closed either due to a lack of teachers or the dilapidated condition of buildings. The shortage of teachers is equally critical.
According to the Education Department, the province immediately needs 16,000 teachers. Although the current government has started the recruitment process for 14,000 teachers, these efforts seem insufficient compared to the pace of population growth. Financially, Balochistan’s non-development budget stands at 650 billion rupees, while the development budget is around 102.5 billion. Out of this, only 19 billion rupees have been allocated for school improvement and infrastructure. Until funds for education are significantly increased, every claim of change will remain incomplete.
To review these challenges and government efforts, we recently spoke with the Director of School Education Balochistan, Akhtar Muhammad Akhter Muhammad Khetran. He shared that through the day-and-night hard work of his teams, the enrollment of 226,563 students was ensured in just one year—an extraordinary achievement. He expressed optimism about reaching the target of bringing 250,000 children to school by the end of this month or upcoming year. He emphasized that this success is the result of a collective struggle rather than an individual effort. He specifically praised the leadership of Provincial Education Minister Rahila Durrani, under whose patronage the department worked on an emergency basis. However, he also admitted that achieving this would have been nearly impossible without the technical and financial support of UNICEF.
At the government level, the current leadership has declared an “Education Emergency.” According to the Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfaraz Bughti, the government has launched the “Education for All” movement, under which primary education has been declared free and compulsory. It is claimed that 14,000 teachers are being recruited on merit, with 99% of hirings based purely on qualification to eliminate political interference. Government reports also claim the reopening of 3,200 non-functional schools and 9,000 new enrollments. Additionally, the establishment of 600 community schools with 32,000 children is a positive sign. But can these steps effectively address the rapid population growth?
The story of a family from Noshki district provides insight. Abdul Majeed, a resident of Killi Mengal, became famous for having 54 children. He passed away last year. His son, Attaullah Mengal, shared that out of 54 siblings, 42 are alive while 12 have passed away. For a father who worked as a driver, supporting such a massive family was nothing short of a miracle. Conditions were so harsh that the 75-year-old Majeed was driving on the roads to earn a living until five days before his death. The poverty was so extreme that neither the government nor any NGO provided help. Today, his son Attaullah has been wandering in search of a job for 15 years, and due to unemployment, he has not yet married. Attaullah is still waiting for government aid because the needs of such a large family are beyond his reach. He states that if he had resources, he would have opted for family planning. Looking at the hardships, he believes in family planning—unlike his father’s six marriages—so that his future generations do not face the bitterness he endured.
Social experts and intellectuals like Amjad Rashid, CEO of Taraqee Foundation, view this situation from a deeper perspective. He argues that simply hiring teachers or opening schools is not enough; the real need is to focus on the skill sets and teaching methods of teachers. If the school environment is not attractive, the dropout rate will not decrease. Another tragedy is that thousands of youth with MA and M.Phil degrees are unemployed in the province, serving as a negative example for the new generation. Until economic growth is linked with educational progress, real change will remain a dream.
The efforts of Director Schools Akhtar Muhammad Khetran and his team are certainly commendable, but the journey is long. Bringing 250,000 children to school is a big success, but millions of children are still forced to pick trash or work in workshops. Bringing them all into classrooms is the state’s primary responsibility. The time has come to move beyond words and take practical steps to lead Balochistan’s future out of the darkness of ignorance and into the light.
The MICS 2019‑20 data reveals a pivotal truth education is the most effective tool for population management in Balochistan. The stark contrast between the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) of uneducated women (18.0%) and those with primary education (30.2%) shows that even basic schooling can trigger a significant behavioral shift. CPR peaks at the middle (32.3%) and secondary (31.9%) levels, making it evident that investing in female literacy is both a social necessity and a strategic health intervention.
According to the Population Council, Balochistan’s annual growth rate is a staggering 3.20%. To put this into perspective, even at a modest 2% growth rate, the province will need 5,700 new primary schools, 0.9 million new homes, and 5 million jobs by 2040. But with the current 3.20% rate, these numbers are likely to double, pushing Balochistan to the brink of collapse by 2040.
