Category Archives: Education

Football therapy

Children and Youth, Development and Poverty, Education, Health, Social Issues

By Zubeida Mustafa

Mehar
Mehar

THERE is still hope for Pakistan. Paradoxically, it comes from the least expected of sources: the street children. Recently, their football team returned home from Oslo proudly bearing a bronze medal from the Norway Cup, the largest international youth football tournament.

It has been a meteoric rise for Pakistan which made its debut in the Street Child Football World Cup only last year in Rio to earn third place. These youngsters have grit and have managed to confront boldly the tragedy of their broken existence. Now they are rebuilding their lives.

One can understand the magnitude of their achievement only in the context of what life can be for children in a society hostile to them. The challenges are greater for the underprivileged. Denied satisfactory facilities for education, healthcare and sports while lacking support from a happy and stable family environment many of these children take the escape route to the streets. There they live uncared for, seeking security in a group of Continue reading Football therapy →

PMDC in the dock

Education, Health

By Zubeida Mustafa

Medicine_healthTHE medical profession in Pakistan is in a continuing crisis. For the second time in less than 18 months, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has been suspended and an interim committee set up to suggest ways to restructure the Council.

At the root of the crisis is the rotten state of the PMDC. Its assigned mission, amongst others, is to safeguard the public interest by prescribing uniform minimum standards of medical education, ensuring their implementation, registering doctors and deciding cases against practitioners for “infamous conduct and professional negligence”. Continue reading PMDC in the dock →

Myths and reality

Children and Youth, Development and Poverty, Economy, Education, Health, Human Rights, Information, Islamisation, Media, Population, Social Issues, Women

By Zubeida Mustafa

Sindh24-13-06-1986THE census is one of the trickiest issues in Pakistan today because of its political and economic implications. Our policymakers have found a way around the problem. They adopt an ostrich-like approach thus hoping to wish away the challenge that the 190.3 million (World Population Review) people pose.

No census has been held in Pakistan since 1998 — the preliminary housing survey that was undertaken in 2011 was aborted when it became too controversial. Now it has been reported that the census planned for 2016 and announced in March is unlikely to be held.

The government cannot be condoned for its negligence. Policymaking has to go on and some numerical guidelines always help. Despite the apathy of the official sector, demographic statistics have registered an improvement — but not enough to make an impact. Continue reading Myths and reality →

Over to ‘Urdish’

Books by ZM, Children and Youth, Culture and the Arts, Economy, Education, Human Rights, Information, Language, Social Issues

By Zubeida Mustafa

LANGUAGE continues to be an enigma in Pakistan. For the umpteenth time education is being ‘reformed’ in this country. Federal Minister of Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has now announced that ‘Urdish’ will be used as the medium of education in the country.

This is the first time Urdish (not Urlish) is being introduced officially. According to the minister, this initiative will rid the country of the “English medium-Urdu medium controversy that has damaged education standards and adversely affected the growth of young minds.” Continue reading Over to ‘Urdish’ →

Who pays the bill?

Development and Poverty, Economy, Education, Environment, Housing, Justice

By Zubeida Mustafa

ELECTRICITY and the energy sector have been in the news for a long time now in Pakistan. The enormous shortfalls in power generation have been the most talked about issue. The corruption factor has also figured prominently with circular debts and illegal connections drawing a lot of flak against the government. The heatwave in Karachi in June leading to the death of about 1,200 people and the proposal for a Heat Health Action Plan that came in its wake should focus public attention on a number of core issues.

Against this backdrop, I asked Yadullah Husain, a Canadian-Pakistani journalist, how he perceives the crisis. Husain was my colleague in Dawn 17 years ago and is today the energy editor at the respected Canadian paper, Financial Post. He has recently won the Newsmaker of the Year award given by the Global Petroleum Survey recognising the services of a journalist covering the oil and gas sector. Continue reading Who pays the bill? →