Pakistan, with 38 percent adult literacy, is among the most illiterate countries in the world, and education has suffered from under-investment, failure to implement plans and a lack of political will and purpose. Officials in the Ministry of Education said the plan was in its preliminary stages and will take a lot of planning and preparation before it can be implemented. Already, high school students in grades 11 and 12 are offered the option of military training that includes assembling and firing G-3 combat rifles. The 40-day training spread over two years earns students marks that are added to their final aggregate grade.
Most students go through the tough drill and parade exercises simply to get the extra marks.
This idea of military training is not new. We are just diversifying its scope. According to the preliminary planning as announced by the parliamentary secretary, the training will be conducted by retired military officials. However, he could not say how much money would be set aside for this program. Some Urdu language newspapers have reported that the government was planning to include materials in the curriculum that would encourage students to join the military after finishing matriculation or high school.