Different surveys have also shown that children from poor families are far more likely to be out of school. Governments cry that money is scarce. Reality tells otherwise. Literally thousands of billions of rupees have been looted in corruption since the mid-1970s. The loot, particularly during the last eight years, has spread to such massive and blatant levels that even African countries appear to be lagging far behind Pakestan.The overall literacy rate in Pakistan tumbled down from 60 percent in 2012-13 to 58 percent in 2013-14 according to the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM) carried out by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics from August 2013 to June 2014. During that same period the four provincial and federal governments spent Rs537.6 billion or 2.1 percent of GDP on education. But billions often lose their way and end up littering ownerless fish trawlers and basements in Pakistan. Poverty, however, remains a hurdle. According to the same survey two out of every 10 children did not attend school, finding education too expensive. In Sindh the percentage of educated people dropped by four percent - to 56 percent - in 2013-14 while the provincial government spent Rs106 billion on education. It is reported that there are 4,540 non-operational and 2,181 ghost schools in Sindh and during 2013 alone over Rs200 million were successfully claimed by ghost employees in the provincial education department. The government has so far made empty promises to bring reforms in education the reality is quite contrary. pk.shafaqna.com
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