Over A Million Pakistani University Students Enrolled in STEM Fields

[Riaz Haq]

Over a million students, about a third of total 3 million students (1.4 million women, 1.6 million men) enrolled in Pakistani universities and degree colleges, are currently studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM Education), according to data released by the country's Higher Education Commission (HEC). Of these students, 415,008 are studying natural sciences and mathematics, 276,659 are in information and communication technologies (ICT), 178,260 are in health sciences and 166,457 are in engineering. Pakistan produced 157,102 STEM graduates last year, putting it among the world's top dozen or so countries. About 43,000 of these graduates are in information technology (IT).  

Student Enrollment By Field of Study at Pakistani Higher Education ...

Nearly half a million Pakistani women are currently enrolled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses at universities, accounting for nearly 46% of all STEM students in higher education institutions in the country. 

Clockwise From Top Left: Nergis Mavalvala, Maria Abrar, Maheen Adamson, Tasneem Zehra Husain, Sundas Khalid, Asifa Akhtar

Acceptance rate in Pakistani universities and degree colleges was just 13.5% last year. Only 541,043 students were accepted from 4,085,185 students who applied. The country produced 471,306 university graduates in 2020-21. Of these, 157,102 were in STEM fields, including 43,000 graduates in information technology (IT). 

Pakistan Higher Education Admission and Graduation Statistics. Sour...

In absolute terms, Pakistan probably ranks among the top dozen or so nations producing university graduates in STEM and IT fields. However, the country lags significantly behind its lower middle income peers in terms of percentage of students enrolled in universities. Only 12% of young people in the 18-25 age group are currently enrolled in higher education institutions. This is about half of the 25% average for South Asia. The data from the World Bank shows that the higher education enrollment rate was extremely low in Pakistan until 2000 when late President Musharraf decided to significantly boost investment in building universities and hire faculty to rapidly increase access to higher education in the country. 

Tertiary Education Enrollment Rates. Source: World Bank

As Pakistan struggles with multiple serious crises,  these young men and women now studying in the nation's universities and colleges offer hope for its bright future. In fact, the vast majority of Pakistanis feel that they have better lives than their parents did, and they think their children will have even better lives than theirs, according to a Gallup International Poll of 64 countries conducted from August to October last year. The poll asked two questions: 1) Do you feel your life is better, worse or roughly similar to that  of your parents? and 2) Do you think your children will have a better, worse or roughly the same life as you? The answers to these questions reveal that Pakistanis are among the top 5 most positive nations among 64 countries polled by Gallup International. Anecdotal evidence in terms of packed shopping malls and restaurants in Pakistan's major cities confirms it. Such positivity augurs well for Pakistan's prospects of successfully dealing with the current crises. It will drive the nation's recovery. 

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[Riaz Haq]

Germany is Launching Opportunity Card for Foreigners Looking for Jobs

https://propakistani.pk/2024/04/22/germany-is-launching-opportunity...

Germany is set to introduce the Opportunity Card in June 2024, a new program aimed at facilitating employment for qualified non-EU citizens in the country. This initiative is designed to streamline the process for skilled job seekers, enhancing their ability to explore job opportunities and engage in flexible work arrangements.

The Opportunity Card represents a significant shift in Germany’s approach to immigration for skilled workers. It simplifies the existing qualification requirements, allowing individuals to enter the job market more efficiently. The card enables holders to look for jobs, participate in work trials, and if necessary, extend their stay in Germany.

The new system reduces the complexities often encountered in the bureaucratic process. Here are the key aspects of the qualification process for the Opportunity Card:

Qualification Recognition:
The card is accessible to individuals whose skills and qualifications are recognized in Germany, eliminating the need for additional special requirements.

Educational Criteria:
Eligible applicants include those with a foreign university degree, a vocational qualification of at least two years recognized by their home country, or a vocational qualification issued by a German Chamber of Commerce Abroad.

Language Proficiency:
Applicants must demonstrate language proficiency, requiring at least an A1 CEFR level in German or a B2 CEFR level in English.

Point-Based Evaluation System
The Opportunity Card uses a point-based system to assess eligibility. Points are allocated based on various factors such as the recognition of qualifications, language skills, professional experience, age, connections to Germany, and the potential involvement of partners or spouses. Applicants need to achieve a minimum of six points to be eligible.

Advantages of Holding the Opportunity Card
The Opportunity Card offers numerous benefits that facilitate a smoother transition into the German job market:

Ease of Job Search: The card allows holders to bypass lengthy recognition processes, enabling them to immediately start looking for employment.
Flexible Work Arrangements: Holders are permitted to undertake work trials and can engage in secondary employment for up to 20 hours per week.
Extension Possibility: In cases where holders are offered eligible employment but cannot secure another resident title, the card can be extended for up to an additional two years.
Germany’s Intentions
The Opportunity Card is a strategic initiative by the German government to attract skilled workers and simplify their entry into one of Europe’s leading economies. It provides a streamlined pathway for engaging with the job market without the necessity of a pre-arranged job contract, thereby offering job seekers valuable time to find suitable employment.

[Riaz Haq]

Steps have been announced towards incorporating technology in the curriculum to align the new generation with the demands of the present era by the Ministry of Education and Professional Training.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2464660/ministry-unveils-tech-driven-c...

The ministry’s Federal Secretary, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani on Tuesday addressed the “STEM Mela 2024” organised under the project “STEM Pakistan Policy Unit” to provide access to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics to secondary school girls. Thousands of female students from the federal capital participated in the event.

“We are bringing technology into our curriculum so that our new generation can also understand technology in time and be in line with the modern requirements of the present,” he said while also emphasising that the government was making every effort to bring out-of-school children into schools. “We want every child to get a good education and contribute to the development of the country,” he said.

More than 1,200 children and 250 teachers participated in the fair. They participated in quiz game shows, treasure hunts, art activities, science shows and other activities. Science shows, mathematics, astronomy and biology learning zones had been set up for the students at the fair. Guidance sessions and professional development workshops were also conducted by the guests.

One of the objectives of this fair was also to appreciate the schools, school heads, teachers and students who had actively participated in the STEM Pakistan programme in the previous academic year.

The STEM Pakistan programme has now expanded to over 4,000 public schools across the country, with over 3.5m students enrolled. The programme aims to engage students in hands-on activities in classrooms and provide them with a better learning environment. The programme is also being implemented in over 200 middle and high schools of the Federal Directorate of Education.

New Tell Pakistan CEO Wahaj Siraj advised the students to make their hobby their profession, maintain their character, be problem solvers, and ask questions to clarify matters.

On the same day, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif declared an educational emergency to promote education in the country and learned how their education should be.

The Mela was a fun and educational experience for the students, encouraging them to take an interest in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics subjects. The government needs to continue its efforts to promote STEM education. It needs to invest in teacher training, infrastructure, and providing opportunities for students.

[Riaz Haq]

Pakistan ranks 91st among the 133 economies featured in the GII 2024. The Global Innovation Index (GII) ranks world economies according to their innovation capabilities. Consisting of roughly 80 indicators, grouped into innovation inputs and outputs, the GII aims to capture the multi-dimensional facets of innovation.

https://www.wipo.int/gii-ranking/en/pakistan

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https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2024/article_0013.html


In more recent years, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Brazil, Indonesia, Mauritius and Pakistan have climbed most in the GII (in order of their ranking). Indonesia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan maintain their overperformer status for a third year and Brazil for a fourth consecutive year.


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Switzerland, Sweden, the United States, Singapore and the United Kingdom are the world’s most-innovative economies, while China, Türkiye, India, Viet Nam and the Philippines1 are the fastest 10-year climbers, according to WIPO’s Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024, which shows a softening in venture capital activity, R&D funding and other investment indicators.

Now in its 17th edition, the GII is the world's benchmark resource charting global innovation trends to guide policy makers, business leaders and others in unleashing human ingenuity to improve lives and address shared challenges, like climate change. This year, the GII also looks at “social entrepreneurship,” which uses private-sector practices for positive social change.

The 2024 edition identifies a major softening in leading indicators of future innovative activity, including a reversal of the 2020-2022 boom in innovation investments. Amid higher interest rates, venture capital (VC) funding dropped by about 40 percent in 2023 and growth slipped in research and development (R&D) expenditures, while international patent filings and scientific publications fell.

[Riaz Haq]

Pakistan’s educational enrolment in statistics

https://www.pakistangulfeconomist.com/2022/08/29/pakistans-educatio...

The total number of enrolments during FY2020 was registered at 55.7 million as against to 53.1 million during FY2019, which shows a rise of 4.9 percent. It is estimated to rise to 58.5 million during FY2021. The Number of institutions registered at 277.5 thousand during FY2020 as against to 271.8 thousand during FY2019. However, the numbers of institutions are estimated to rise to 283.7 thousand in FY2021 in Pakistan. Similarly, there were 1.83 million teachers in FY2020 as against to 1.79 million last year. The Number of teachers is estimated to increase to 1.89 million during FY2021.

Pre-Primary Education
Statistics also showed that pre -primary education is the basic component of Early Childhood Education (ECE). Prep classes are for children between 3 to 5 years of age. At national level, a rise of 6.1 percent in pre-primary enrolment (13.5 million) in FY2020 over FY2019 (12.7 million) has been observed and it is further estimated to increase by 6.4 percent to 14.4 million in FY2021.

Primary Education (Classes I-V)
In FY2020, there were a total of 183.9 thousand functional primary schools with 507.6 thousand corresponding teachers recorded in Pakistan. A rise of 4.2 percent in primary enrolment is witnessed as the total enrolled students increased to 24.6 million in FY2020 against 23.6 million in FY2019. However, it is projected to further increase to 25.7 million in FY2021.

Middle Education (Classes VI-VIII)
During FY2020, total number of middle institutes reached at 48.3 thousand with 466.4 thousand employed teachers in Pakistan. A rise of 3.9 percent in middle enrolment is observed. The Total enrolled students reached to 7.9 million in FY2020 against 7.6 million in FY2019 and it is projected to rise by 4.0 percent (from 7.9 million to 8.3 million) in FY2021.

Secondary/High School Education (Classes IX-X)
During the FY2020, a total of 32.0 thousand secondary schools were functional, with a total number of 582.3 thousand teachers recorded in Pakistan. An increase of 6.2 percent in secondary school enrolment is observed at the national level as the total enrolment increased to 4.2 million in FY2020 as compared to 4.0 million in FY 2019. However, it is estimated to further increase by 6.5 percent (i.e., from 4.2 million to 4.5 million) during FY2021.

Higher Secondary/Inter Colleges (Classes XI-XII)
During FY2020, 6.0 thousand higher secondary schools/inter colleges with 136.7 thousand teachers were functional at national level. The Overall enrolment of students in higher secondary education witnessed an increase of 8.8 percent in FY2020. The Enrolment registered during FY2020 was 2.33 million as against to 2.14 million in FY2019. For FY2021, it is projected to reach at 2.55 million.

Technical & Vocational Education
During FY2020, 3.8 thousand technical and vocational institutes with 18.6 thousand teachers were functional at the national level. The Enrolment increased to 0.46 million in FY2020 from 0.43 million compared to FY2019. However, it is estimated to increase by 7.7 percent (i.e., from 0.46 million to 0.50 million) in FY2021.

Degree Colleges (Classes XIII-XIV)
An enrolment of 0.76 million students is expected during FY2021 in degree colleges as against the enrolment of 0.74 million in FY2020. A Total of 3,320 degree colleges with 64,293 teachers were functional during FY2020.

Universities
There are 218 universities with 58.0 thousand teachers in both public and private sectors functional in FY2020. The Overall enrolment of students in higher education institutions (universities) grew to 1.91 million in FY2020 from 1.86 million in FY2019. The Enrolment is expected to increase from 1.91 million in FY 2020 to 1.96 million (i.e., 2.8 percent) in FY2021.