Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The ‘distintive’ curriculums at different edcuational institutations, are eventually causing a sense of despondency and deprivation for ‘specific’ groups of students.

The ‘exclusive’ curriculums are not only creating disappointment among students but also leading to a division of the society on a class basis, in line with their educational backgrounds.

Additionally, some students are rated ‘superior’ due to efficient, advanced syllabus while others are given less importance due to ‘general and old’ curriculums.

At any rate, quality education is the fundamental right of every citizen which lays basis for other rights in a society. Currently, public sector schools are over-loaded and over-burdoned, while private schools are handling ‘limited’ students but earning big margins.

Usman Zafar, a student of Gordon College Rawalpindi said that he was taught the Punjab text books as curriculums, out of which papers were set for the annual examination. And for appearing in the exam of National Testing Service (NTS) or other exams at a later stage, he had to solve the paper, based on modern techinques and concepts.

He said it seems students of private schools or colleges do have a better understanding due to modern and updated curriculams. “ In any case, we do not have uniform curriculums in educational instistutions, then why students go for a ‘combined’ competitive examination,” he questioned.

Hina Sheraz, a student of Islamabad Model College for Girls said that it becomes embarassing for them whenever they face students of private schools due to their proactive and dynamic personality. She says the students are groomed in private schools by providing excellent and updated modern curriculums and trained skilllfuly by the teaching staff. Extra-curricular and recreational activities are another important feature of the private school system which is ignored in the public sector schools at the moment, she remarked. She was of the view that government schools would perfom more efficiently if modern and updated curriculums,are adopted at these institutions, besides inducting trained and skilled teaching staff. This will ultimately abolish monoploy of private schools, she added.

Amina Aslam, a parent of a school-going child said that “for a better future of childern, we are unwillingly sending our children to private schools, besides paying a hefty amount as school fees.”

She complained private schools increase fees every year and called for ensuring a proper check in this regard.

Associate Professor of Islamabad Model College for Boys H-9 Syed Agha Hassan said that dealing with over-burdened and increasing number of students, is the main cause for poor performance of public sector schools. He said public schools had limited resources and shortage of skilled teaching staff.

He added that the public sector had more potential and facilities including sports grounds, capacious buildings which are necessary to groom students at these institutions. Nazish Rehman, Psychologist at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) says that first the five to 10 years of a child’s life are very important for ultimate grooming and promoting natural skills. It has been observed that the children, given more attention and care in the first 10 years, would be more active, intellectually sharp than other children who were ingored at any stage, she added.

An official of education ministry said steps were under way to introduce uniform curriculams in the country.