The aim of this study was to examine the growing education gap between urban and rural areas

Submitted to:
Muhammad Saleem
Submitted by:
Syed Hasan Raza
Programmed:
B.ED (hons)
Semester VI
Topic:
Growing education gap between Rural and
Urban Ares
Subject:
School Community and Teacher
DIVISION OF EDUCATION

Growing education gap between Rural and Urban Areas
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the Growing education gap between urban/rural
area, Now-a-Days Education Gap is rapidly growing in Rural-Urban Area. Because government
didn’t response and didn’t take seriously Rural area for education development in Rural area the
major difference in rural and urban area is technology . Despite the existence of a large urban-
rural education gap in many countries, little attention has been paid whether cities enjoy a
comparative advantage in the production of human capital The government in its 5-year plans
had targeted increases in school enrollment which were not met. Progress has been slow and
nearly 50% of school-age children do not attend primary schools, largest gaps between girls and
boys enrollment in secondary schools was in NWFP and Baluchistan. Rural secondary school
enrollment was very low at about 16% for boys and 2.5% for girls aged 10-14 Urban areas were
overcrowded with more than 70 students/class for boys and 50 or more for girls.
Urban areas Are not developing countries in Pakistan because of lots of reasons and government
didn’t focusing for their education development as compare to rural area if they educated
themselves they will succeed in their life
Introduction
Education is one of the important ingredients to measure the level of development of a society
[Education not only contributes to improve the human capital of the society but also provide a
civilized society (as economic agents are engaged in production, supplying labor, consuming
good and services and participates in political decision making) and hence creates spillover
effects and improves the welfare of the society without making anyone else worse off It is the
basic right of every member of the society to get equal access to education.
Not more than 54 percent of the population of Pakistan can be reported as literate by any
definition [1]; what is the yardstick used in Pakistani scenario to mark between literates and
illiterates is, however, another point to ponder. About 67 percent of our population still lives in
the rural areas and the situation of literacy and education regarding our rural areas exclusively is
rather devastating. The illiteracy undoubtedly becomes hindrance in the way to development.
Development of the rural areas of Pakistan, therefore, demands higher education and literacy
rates. Since the Universal Primary Education and Adult Education are two wheels of the vehicle
of development as the education on one hand helps people become aware of the pros and cons of
various aspects of life; and on the other hand it guides towards the suitable avenues those may
lead citizens to the destination of sustainable development and prosperity, so giving due
consideration to education is really important.

Education creates improvement in the human capital, which is regarded as an essential
determinant of growth and subsequently it facilitate in reducing poverty. Government should
give proper attention to promote education in the society given its importance in fostering growth
and reducing poverty. But shortage of resources, inconsistent policies and deficiency in political
will have made it difficult for developing countries to achieve desired education targets. It can be
observed from the available literature that educational gaps between various groups exist within
countries and distribution of education is skewed. A skewed distribution of education implies a
large social welfare losses resulting from underutilization of potential human capital
Education creates improvement in the human capital, which is regarded as an essential
determinant of growth and subsequently it facilitate in reducing poverty. Government should
give proper attention to promote education in the society given its importance in fostering growth
and reducing poverty. But shortage of resources, inconsistent policies and deficiency in political
will have made it difficult for developing countries to achieve desired education targets. It can be
observed from the available literature that educational gaps between various groups exist within
countries and distribution of education is skewed. A skewed distribution of education implies a
large social welfare losses resulting from underutilization of potential human capital
It can be observed from the existing literature that various indicators are used to measure
different aspects of education for analyses. These indicators include literacy rate, enrolment
ratios and education attainment
Standard Deviation of education indicators only measures the dispersion of educational
inequality. To measure the relative distribution, Thomas, et al. (2000) proposed measurement of
educational Gini index. Many of the researchers have computed the level of education attainment
and the level of disparity using the educational Gini coefficient and examines educational gap
within countries, regions, gender and castes and hence analyses the countries commitments of
eliminating disparities in education.
1 : SELECTED INDICATORS TO ILLUSTRATE RURAL-URBAN GAP
REGARDING EDUCATION SECTOR
The following six indicators are considered here to illustrate the rural-urban gap and disparity
regarding education sector (these indicators are solely selected by International Development
Research Centre (IDRC) and I have just quoted here with appropriate referencing [2]:
1. Adult literacy rate
2. Primary school enrolment rate
3. Secondary school enrolment rate
4. Primary school drop-out rate

5. Primary school continuation rate
6. Access to primary school
Adult Literacy Rate:
At the time of Independence in 1947, Pakistan had a large population of those who could not
read or write. In 1998- 99, however, 45 percent of the adult population (10 years and above) was
literate. The fact is that after such a long period, the majority of population still remains illiterate.
Table 1 shows that between 1995-96 and 1998-99 the literacy level was increased by 6 percent.
The difference between the literacy rates of rural and urban areas has fluctuated between the
range of 27 and 30 percentage points over a period spanning 26 years without showing any signs
of decline. There are at least two aspects of regional disparity in literacy rates that make it a
particularly serious matter; majority of Pakistan’s Muhammad Haroon Siddique Education
Sector Related Rural-Urban Gap in Pakistan and Programs to Reduce It Promoting Integrated
Development M. H. Siddique / GMSARN International Journal 6 (2012) 115 - 120 116
population living in rural areas is the first aspect. Therefore, the low literacy rates prevailing in
the rural areas are more representative of the literacy rates for Pakistan. Due to disparities the
resulting gap in literacy rates is almost unbelievable. According to the 1972 census data, while
about 50 percent males living in urban areas were literate, only 6 percent rural females fell in this
category. In 1981, these figures were 55 percent and 7 percent respectively. Data obtained from
the latest census conducted in 1998 indicate that 80 percent females living in rural areas are still
illiterate while percentage of illiterate males in urban areas has fallen to 27 percent.
Primary School Enrolment Rate:
The enrollment capacity of the primary school system may be regarded as a proxy measure of the
supply of educational services while participation of pupils in the system provides a measure of
demand for primary education. Gross enrollment rates are often used as indicators of the general
level of participation and capacity. Table 1 also sets out data on gross enrollment rates for
Pakistan. Alarmingly, the gross enrollment rate has declined from 75 percent in 1995-96 to 68
percent in 1998- 99. This decline was observed mainly in rural areas. It, however, is difficult to
explain this declining trend in the presence of Social Action Program (SAP) designed
particularly to promote primary education in the country
The gross enrollment appears to be quite impressive for the urban areas where it was more than
90 percent in 1998- 99. It can be inferred from this figure that, given enough demand, primary
schools in the urban areas of Pakistan are capable of accommodating more than 90 percent of
children who are in the primary school going age. The gross enrollment rate, however, takes into
account all the pupils who are enrolled in a primary school, irrespective of their age. Since late
entry and grade repetition are common phenomena in the country, a large proportion of these
pupils do not fall in the official primary school age (5-9 years).

Secondary School Enrolment Rate
Forty percent of children who were in the secondary school going age (10- 16 years) in 1998
were enrolled in schools. The enrolment rate for girls (27 percent) was about half the rate for
boys (53 percent). This gender disparity was even worse in rural areas where compared to 47
percent of boys, only 13 percent of girls were enrolled in secondary schools. In urban areas the
gender gap in terms of enrolment in secondary school was relatively low. The secondary school
enrolment (for both boys and girls) was higher in Sindh than in other provinces. However,
enrolment rate for boys was highest in Baluchistan, followed by Sindh, North Western Frontier
Province (NWFP) and Punjab. For girls, it was lowest in NWFP, only 13 percent.
Primary SchoolDrop-Out
Pupils who cannot continue in the next grade fall into two categories, namely, those who opt out
of the school system altogether and those who are required to repeat a grade, presumably because
they have not acquired enough knowledge and skills. Dropout rates for Pakistan are given in
Table 1. These rates are for two time periods. Dropout rates are affected by internal efficiency of
the school system, in addition to several other factors. The latest available figures indicate that
the dropout rates (the first grades of primary school) in 1995-96 were reduced during 1998-99 -
16 and 15 percent respectively.
2 : EDUCATION POLICY AND UNIVERSALIZATION OF EDUCATION
Since HumanResource Developmentmaynotyieldshort-termresults,governmentsshouldformulate
bothshort-termandlong-termpolicies.Intranslatingpolicyintopractice,the governmentshouldattend
to sociocultural factorssurroundingimplementationandinvolve the implementersinthe process.Itmay
needtostrengthenthe institutionalstructures,mobilizeandfacilitate the use of otherresourceslike
NonGovernmental Organizations(NGOs),communitiesandprivate sectortosupplementitsefforts.Itis
alsoimportantto experiment,tryoutnew ideasandcollectinformationaboutexperiences,asalsotry
and improve policyandprogrameffectiveness

(A) Education Issues in Urban Area
Urban Poverty:
A majorchallenge of urbanizationistoimprove economicefficiencyandproductivitywhileconcurrently
reducingpoverty,thusfacilitatingamore equitable economicgrowth.The causesof,andremediesfor,
urban povertyare complex and crosssectoral.A holisticapproachwouldbe adoptedforreductionof
urban povertyincludingemploymentcreation,creditforinformal businesses,educationandliteracy
training,provisionof legaltenure tosquatters,improvedsocial andinfrastructure servicesandaccessto
shelter
Urban Environment:
Most of the cities in the country face environmental problems arising from poorly managed
urban development activities and inadequate infrastructure and services. Efforts will be made to
improve urban environment including (i) conservation of nonrenewable resources and resources
rehabilitation; (ii) management, control and treatment of waste; and (iii) a greater reliance on
market-based instruments (e.g. polluters pay) to supplement regulatory approaches.
Urban Transport:
Urban transportationiscrucial to improvingthe qualityof lifeandeconomicperformance of urban
areas.The challenge istomake investmentsinurbantransportationsustainable throughcoordination,
bothin termsof physical provisionandeconomicandfinancial policies,andbycomprehensively
addressingrelatedissuessuchasa city’sbalance inthe locationsof employmentandhousing.Urban
transportinvestmentswouldincorporateconceptsof demandmanagementandappropriate rolesfor
the publicandprivate sectors.Aneconomicallyefficienttransportmarketbasedonoptimal pricingwill
be developed.The mainfeaturesof the urbantransportstrategywill be asfollows:
(i) Encouragingbalancedmulti-modal transportationandreducingtotal transportationcosts,
particularlyforthose withoutaccesstopersonal motortransport.
(ii) Promotingtrafficreductionstrategiesbyamodal shiftfromprivate topublictransport,walking
and bicycle use.
(iii) Achievingeconomicbenefitsbyusingexistingroadcapacitymore efficiently.
(iv) Increasingtransportproductivityby improvingmobilityof highervaluetravel,suchasfreight,
commercial andhighoccupancyvehicles.

Public Private Partnerships:
Given the massive investment required in urban infrastructure, a greater focus is needed on the
creation of cost-effective and efficient public-private partnerships that include mechanisms for
attracting private capital urban infrastructure provision. Investment of the private sector would
be developed as a process that institutionalizes the enabling role of urban government. The
complexity and scale of large cities call for experience in technical and management matters that
can in many cases be better provided by the private sector than the public sector. The
comparative advantage of the public sector is in setting goals and strategies for service delivery,
and in planning, regulation, and protection, while that of the private sector is in the operation and
maintenance of the services. Increased attention would be given to private sector involvement in
the delivery of urban services and land development. For this purpose appropriate incentive
systems and legal and regulatory frameworks would be developed
Community Participation:
Community participation in urban development has increased through the involvement of non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), business associations, environmental pressure groups,
associations of Katchi Abadis and slum dwellers, and other community-based organizations
(CBOs) in many aspects of urban development. The devolution plan recognizes the key role of
the community in local development through institutionalization of the Citizen Community
Boards (CCBs) in the local planning and implementation process. Community commitment to
develop initiatives would be considered for promoting demand driven investment in urban
development and prioritizing the provision of urban services.
CapacityBuilding:
Capacity building of institutions involved in rural development will be a key focus. Participatory
processes will be strengthened and the capacity of districts and TMAs enhanced to carry out their
mandates in line with the devolution plan. As part of this process, the capacity for disaster
management and mitigation such as droughts, floods, earthquakes, epidemics and other
emergencies will also be enhanced. Networking of training institutions will be undertaken to
align the overall training efforts in line with the rural development strategy.

Technology:
Most of the urban area didn’t have internet or if they have internet facility isn’t working
properly because government didn’t provide them a facility of good internet so that’s why they
can innovate new things and can’t work properly
Regionaldisparity:
Regional disparity among rural and urban areas is well seen in Pakistan. The higher rate of
increase in poverty in the rural areas has prompted debate on growth and productivity trends in
the agriculture sector. Recent trends of poverty in rural and urban regions are being presented in
3 :PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS ATTEMPTEDTO REDUCE THE
RURAL-URBAN DISPARITYAND PROMOTING EDUCATION
Thisis hearteningtomentionthatvariouseffortshave alreadybeendone inPakistanregardingthe field
of education.Hereafterisadescriptionof the programsandthe projectsthose attemptedtoreduce the
rural-urbandisparityandthose triedtopromote integrateddevelopmentbetweenthe rural andurban
areas of Pakistan.

Khushal PakistanProgrammed:
A comprehensive Khushal PakistanProgramme (KPP) hasbeendevelopedasamajor initiativetobe
implementedduringMTDFas a part of people-centricdevelopment.The programme isbasedonthe
needto
(i) focuson people andtheirneeds,
(ii) involve national,provincialandlocal representativesof the people inthe planningprocess,
(iii) ensure thateverydistrictinPakistanispart of the KPP,
(iv) focus onimplementationanddeliverymechanismstoachieve desiredresults,and
(v) coordinate activitiesof developmentpartnersandensure NGOsparticipation.
The programme will coveressential infrastructure atthe village,unioncouncil,Tehsil and
districtlevel;basiceducationandhealth;supportforcreatingentrepreneurial andemployment
capacity;and supportfor creatingdirectemployment(moneyforworkprogramme).Itis
envisagedthatanadditional one percentof GDP will be addedtosocial sectorspendingby
establishingaKhushal PakistanFund,whichwill be augmentedthroughgrantsupportfrom
developmentpartners.The Khushal PakistanFundwill be usedforrural andurban
infrastructure,agricultural andlivestockdevelopment,self-employmentschemes,andhuman
resourcesdevelopment
Benazir income support program (BISP):
Benazir Income Support Program is considered an important public scheme to support poor
families in all parts of the country. It was launched in 2008 as a social safety net platform aiming
to increase the living standards of the poor and controlling the negative effects of slow economic
growth, food crisis and inflation of the poor (predominantly women). It was started with the goal
of providing money to poor families, which would help them to buy basic needs of life such as
food and house expenditures. This program is very significant support of government’s
development program on poverty eradication and women empowerment. Government of
Pakistan has continuously increased the allocation of funds for BISP since its formation.
. Tameer-e-PakistanProgram:
The program, launched in 2003, covers schemes relating to sectors such as gas, electricity, roads,
telecommunication, education, health, sanitation and water supply. Each MNA and Senator,
allocated Rs. 10 million yearly, identifies development schemes and designates the executing
agency for their recommended schemes. This programme will be continued during the MTDF
with an allocation of Rs. 27.5 billion.

4 :Rural DevelopmentStrategy:
For development of rural areas, a holistic approach will be adopted for rural development with
local governments in the lead role, supported by the provincial and federal governments, with the
following focus.
- Enhancing the asset ownership of the poor by improving access to land, water and livestock.
- Enhancing activities in the non-farm sector, including agro-processing, provision of
agricultural inputs and supply of basic consumer goods and services.
- Identifying new sources of growth that will increase incomes of rural population.
- Facilitating private sector participation and involvement in value addition of agricultural
products
Enhancing AssetOwnership by the Poor:
Government has designed a programme to distribute State land among the rural landless to improve
livelihood. An estimated 2.7 million acres of state land is available for distribution. The provincial
governments will examine the possibility of granting property rights to individuals and families residing
in houses constructed on “Shamlat Deh” and state land. Provincial governments would also be
encouraged to revive the earlier seven marlas plot scheme out of state lands for housing construction free
of cost. This would be complemented by an integrated and phased programme for provision of services.
Microcredit programmes will be substantially expanded, including enhancing the ratio of loans for
livestock. The efficiency of water for irrigation will be enhanced through seepage control including
concrete/brick lined water courses (Pucca Khalas) and precision land leveling.
Rural Industrialization:
Rural industrialization would be based upon an analysis of local comparative advantage, maximizing
employment through promotion of labour intensive industries and technologies in Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs), encouraging value addition and enhancing worker skills and facilitating technology
upgradation. Industrial and other special purpose estates will be established along the motorways and
other suitable locations in close proximity to rural areas. Studies will be carried out of the programmes of
Township and Village Enterprises in China and the “One Village, one Product” movement in Thailand,
earlier highly successfulin Japan as a tool for rural economic development, which emphasizes the global
market for locally made traditional products

5:Urban Development:
In recent years,urban population has been growing at the rate of 2.9 percent annually, among
others, due to rural-urban migration and influx of illegal entrants and Afghan refugees. With
increasing contribution of the urban economy to national development, the management of urban
areas,particularly the metropolitan areas and the megacities of Karachiand Lahore,will play a
key role in the country’s economic development in the decades ahead. This urban growth will
take place in a period of major economic and technological change, dominated by the emerging
global economy, a revolution in information technology and an increasing emphasis on market-
based decision making. These new external influences mean that the country’s metropolitan
areas such as Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar,Multan, Gujranwala, Hyderabad and Quetta,
and the megacities of Karachiand Lahore will have to enhance their urban management
capabilities and improve integrated development of urban infrastructure and services to provide a
better quality of life for their residents.
Urban Issues:
there has been haphazard growth around big cities and along national highways. Most of
the cities in the country are dominated by areas of poor housing, inadequate
infrastructure and social services and poor transport, with a large proportion of the
residents living in Kachi Abadis or informal settlements. In large cities in particular, the
problem of high land values is one of the biggest constraints on a poor family’s ability to
acquire shelter.
There is considerable urban poverty, with over 20 per cent of the urban residents
classified as poor. The causes of urban poverty include high cost of land, long journeys
to work, exposure to greater environmental risk, and greater vulnerability to changes in
market conditions in urban areas. Conditions of urban poverty have been worsened by
the speed and scale of urbanization in the country, with which the municipal agencies
have not been able to keep pace.
The urban environmental conditions in the country have worsened with increase in
health problems resulting from poor air quality, water-related diseases, malnutrition,
exposure to toxic substances, and industrial and vehicle-generated pollution. The
environmental problems in cities include depletion and contamination of water resources,
flooding, land contamination and air pollution
As a result of inadequate attention to spatial planning at the national, provincial and local
levels, urbanization phenomena and urban development are not being addressed
comprehensively. With indiscriminate conversion of the rich agricultural land for urban
uses,

Recommendations:
1. There is a need that policies should implement as soon as possible.
2. Teachers should provided proper facilities and innovate them with new technology
3. Students should provide free and quick internet resources so that they can attend their classes
easily.in urban areas
4. Awareness about technology should be given to teacher that they easily understand the
system.
5. Need to improve the government educational system
6. If government provide free facilities to students so no students will force to leave study due
to poverty.
References:
1 : M. H. Siddique / GMSARN International Journal 6 (2012) 115 – 120
2: International Growth center/ Hine Sheik
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