AN alarming situation demands immediate attention and increased investment in the development of human capital in Pakistan. A recent report by the World Bank in May this yearhas shedlight on thelack of progress in building capabilities and human capital, particularly in the education and health sectors.

Human capital development is crucial for economic growth as it expands people`s knowledge and skills while equipping them to meet future challenges and adapt to the evolving requirements of the world. However, data analysis reveals alarming results, exposing a crisis in Pakistan`s current state of human capital development and retention. With over 20 million schoolage children out of school, high levels of child malnutrition, and low empowerment of women, Pakistan`s human capital challenges rank among the most serious in the world.

The said report believes that what we have in Pakistan is a profound but silent human capital crisis with far-reaching negative effects on the country and its people. Controlling population growth, investing significantly more in healthcare and education, and integrating women into the workforce can bring substantial economic growth in the country.

The Covid pandemic and the 2022 noodsfurtheraggravated the challenges, posing a significant threat to human capital at all stages of the lifecycle. Malnutrition poses one of the most significant challenges in Pakistan, with long-term implications for human capital development and economic growth. Provision of universal access to education while improving learning outcomes and enhancing overall efficiency in the education system is a challenging task, but not at all an impossible one.

Meeting the challenges means longterm planning unaffected by government tenures and political cycles. Prioritising family planning across all human development initiatives, investing smartly in peopleand providing avenues for productive deployment of human capital, addressing child malnutrition as a national priority, and implementing measures to reduce the number of out-of-school children and to improve learning outcomes are some of the basic starting points that we can opt for.

With the right policies and investments, Pakistan`s growing working-age population can become healthier, better educated, more skilled, and more productive, leading to increased earnings through the creation of more and better jobs for those looking for one.

Ms Sarwar Karachi