Like many matters of fundamental importance, education has never remained in the good books of our leaders. Unfortunately, the society itself is responsible to some extent that never takes education as something urgent and necessary for the mind and soul.
The turmoil, in our case, is we have assumed that some books, copies, pencil and a hefty school routine along with passing of a yearly exam is education. No doubt! This routine is part of a large objective of education. Education is light in our life that tells us what is right and what is wrong.
In rural areas, the feudal lords and cultural barriers play their part in keeping the children out of school. The government helps them by not developing these rural areas. Those schools that exist are just buildings with children on the chairs (some schools even lack proper infrastructure). We have teachers but no training, we have students but no grooming, and we have education departments but no efficiency and competency. Our curriculum is not up to date and our books lack the quality factor.
On one side, our politicians claim to increase school enrollment and we regularly watch the slogan of “Parha Likha Punjab” but on the other side, we have at least six million out-of-school children. If we were to assume that all out-of-school children decide to come to school, do we have enough schools? Where they will sit? Where are the required teachers in rural areas school? The government must not make us fool on this fallowed approach.
Now! Our education system, I don’t know whether to cry or laugh on it. The world has changed and now, the exams are based on concept and analytical challenges. Where we are, in exam of metric and FSc, the guy with the longest answer will fetch the maximum marks. This absurdity has damaged the careers of many, along with the illegal practice to use means that are not allowed. This has made me realise that there is no credibility for paper checking in Pakistan.
On higher education level, we have made universities or I should to say, we have made buildings and given them the authority to teach some books and give degrees to thousands of children each year. Universities are the places, where the knowledge is built through research, innovation and discussion. But in our case, if you have money, some private universities will butter you and you’ll surely become an engineer after four years, this is what they say.
Public-sector universities have become the houses of unions, politics and incompetency. In the light of my experience, in a leading government university in the heart of Lahore, I can say that the system is just creating degree holders. The lectures and professors(in most cases) are thousands miles away from research and students know that which questions will come into the exams and attendance is just in name as many of my fellows had come just in papers and they graduated with flying colors. Even the universities don’t care to change the curriculum.
So, what we have to do now? This question has never made it to headlines but Panama leaks and Ayyan Ali, I believe took more air time in some days that the education news have taken in 14 years of electronic media history. Firstly, we have to make education “priority” and with media, we have to compel leaders to invest in education system. Second, we just don’t have to pressurise the politicians to make schools and universities but to induce innovation and research in the universities. We have to train teachers and fight with society evils so that the girls and boys in rural areas could come to schools. The legislation is necessary e.g. the government can make a law that those parents in villages who would send their children to school will get free electricity. I challenge, within months, the literacy rate will hit shining figures.
Lastly, parents and society have to understand that education is not a tool to earn money, its objective is more than that, and it gives us the chance to enlighten ourselves. Money and education are two different things. Don’t pressurise your children to become engineer and doctor just for the sake of money.