“Upon the education of the people of this country, the fate of this country depends” (Benjamin Disraeli). Looking at the fate of our beloved country Pakistan in the light of this quotation, it is definitely in peril. Education is the key to success for any country and that is something that we still have not understood. The quicker we realise it the better it will be. Pakistan is among the list of those countries in the world that have the lowest literacy rate.
Getting an education is the right of each individual. However, unfortunately, this right is not within the reach of many individuals and this key has still been unable to show its magic because of a number of issues. The feudal system is one of the gravest factors hindering the development of the education sector. The feudal lords rule the lives of the people and do not allow them to get education because if they do so, people will become aware of their rights and will start questioning them. Hence, they are depriving them of their basic right for their own cruel interests.
One of the other factors that get in the way of the development of this sector is that there is no national curriculum. A different syllabus is being taught to the same grades at different schools. There is no long-term policy to address these issues. Education is a very sensitive thing that needs the sincerity and commitment of people at all levels. The future of the country in one way is also in the hands of the teachers. However, in Pakistan where there is an environment of favoritism and nepotism, the future becomes shaky. This issue itself has many sub-issues. Pakistan is full of talented people but the thing that is required is the exploration of their talent for which the key is to provide them with quality education. The feudal system, the intellectual calibre of teachers, an environment of favoritism, difference in syllabi, lack of commitment, discrimination on the basis of gender and many other things adds up to the already prevailing issues like poverty and child labour, making things worse.
We are standing at the same place where we were at the time of independence but only with a little improvement. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan kept on motivating the people to understand the other dimensions of education. His educational vision has two strong points: adoption of modern education and moral education. His main aim was the intellectual development of the people through modern education. Mahatma Gandhi called him the “prophet of education”. We have once again not learned from our mistakes as the other countries did and excelled. India is a living example in front of us. Sir Syed was one of those early pioneers who recognised the critical role of education for the empowerment of the poor and backward Muslim community. This is what we need to comprehend again.
It is said that the foundation of every state is based on the education of its youth. If we had realised this from the very beginning, we would have been on the path of success. In Pakistan almost 63 percent of the population falls under the age of 25 years. They can prove to be an asset only if they get the chance and opportunity to have access to their basic right.
The time is to turn the tables instead of turning a blind eye to the issues affecting the country. The first thing is to conduct research in order to point out the problems — some of which are already known to us — but no serious efforts have been made to solve them. Therefore, along with a policy there should be an implementation strategy as well. If we can move with the changing trends around the world in fields like music and fashion then what is stopping us from making progress in the education sector that is the backbone of any country? Funds allocated to the education sector by the government are below average. If they really wish to make Pakistan a successful country, they will have to change this attitude. The education sector should be given priority status in the allocation of funds. There should be monthly meetings to get feedback, and for a proper check and balance system. The NGOs and human rights activists/associations should become more active in creating social awareness in the backward areas. The educational institutions should cooperate with one another on their own to make things better. They should come out of this attitude of blaming the higher authorities all the time for the existing problems. Teachers hold a very important position in this regard; they should show commitment for this respected profession. Teacher training workshops should be held frequently. The governance of the education sector needs to be re-examined. Change will not come overnight but 65 years are more than enough to remain stagnant and serious efforts are required to increase the pace of this change. The strength of the country lies in the education of an individual who can change the fate of the country.
The writer has a Masters in International Relations from Quaid-e-Azam University and is currently teaching at Capital Education System School, Islamabad. She can be reached at [email protected]