Education: Priority for a Nation

Education is the most important pillar for any Nation for its uplift. If any Nation wants to grow stronger and compete in the world, it must have education as its top priority. The Nations who want to develop without putting education as their priority, fail to achieve their goal. This is what history tells us as well as logic.

Unfortunately, in my country, the same problem exists. We want to grow and develop but, we don’t prioritise education. Since the creation of Pakistan, we have not invested in the field of education. Education has always been the Nation’s least priority. None paid heed to the improvement of the education sector.

” Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”- Nelson Mandela

First of all, I would highlight the division of education in different classes. In my country, there is a division of classes within society which has led to education apartheid in the country. There is one class, which is the elite, and the upper Middle class, which can afford Western or elite education such as O/A Levels, Edexcel, etc. but that makes up literally less than 2% of the total population. This class is receiving Western-style education, in which there is no aspect of Nation-building, but the influence of the Western culture, and can be perceived as cultural imperialism. However, the majority of the students who are receiving education in Pakistan are in the Matric/FSc. But, this is also divided into English and Urdu Medium. There is no unity as far as the education syllabus is concerned. The standards of all schools are different.

Furthermore, there is another group of people who go to Religious Madrassahs. These are the ones who have the least exposure to the world. They aren’t being taught any worldly thing, which is a disadvantage as they cannot move forward without receiving worldly education. In my opinion, worldly and religious education must go side by side.

Have we even invested in the education infrastructure?

Unfortunately, we have not paid heed to the development of the infrastructure needed for education. The Government failed to build new schools, colleges and universities. What we see in most of the Government schools, their condition is bad, and no one wants to go study there. There is a lack of facilities in the schools. The school premises are being used for other purposes than education. This is an extreme level of negligence towards education. The teachers are not well-trained.

Furthermore, if we look at the private schools, they have become personal businesses of some families. They squeeze the students financially for their own personal business. Not all people can afford the fee of those schools. This shows a complete failure of providing free and equal education to every citizen of Pakistan as said by the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

We have just a handful of universities in Pakistan, and those also can’t beat the level of the World-Class Universities, the reason being, that no one ever paid attention to them. Here, politics get involved in university affairs, hence leading to the destruction of the organizational structure. If this happens, where would the students go? Lack of professional teachers is again, another factor in the low standard of education in most universities.

Shortcomings of the Education System

Our education system, since the beginning, is very torn apart, and no significant work has been done to make it better, and unfortunately, we are following the same old pattern of education, with no advancements to go along with the developed world. In our education system, students are not given the independence of brainstorming. The thinking ability of the students is forcefully snatched. The students are forced to obey the bookish knowledge, they don’t develop the ability to ponder over a matter. They are only told to memorise lines from the book and write them in the exams. This way there is no learning or thinking over a topic. The education system only brainwashes a child, that they have to just read this much and pass the exams, and get a job and that’s the end. Schools are just manufacturing money-making machines, and this alone cannot help the Nation, in its development.

Our education system is now outdated, whereas the world is making great technological advancements, but here, we are forced to read old things, which are now outdated, hence leads to the problem of unemployment despite having degrees, because this education system does not qualify them for the present and future job opportunities. We teach more theoretical stuff instead of practical work, hence no practical skill is developed.

Furthermore, there is no room for Nation-building in our education system. Students, who are the future of this Nation, are not being taught, how to make this Nation a better place. Nations need Nation Building, we must understand this. Nation-building, combined with technological advancements and practical skills, are needed for a better and advanced future for this Nation.

Most universities have no environment for promoting intellectualism. There, again, bookish knowledge is promoted, leaving no space for the thinking process. An outdated syllabus brings out disadvantages for the students in their future practical life.

What can be done?

What we have experienced in the past from our education system, and what we are experiencing, it would be wise, to analyze its shortcomings, and try to overcome the problems for the future.

So, here I would give some suggestions, in order to bring improvements in our education sector.

First of all, I would suggest that the Government should impose an emergency on Education, and upgrade all the existing schools and colleges on an ad hoc basis so that they have all the necessary facilities for students so that they can feel comfortable while studying.

Secondly, the most important thing, restructure the whole education system on a priority basis and bring it in line with modern education techniques. There must be modern research, and students must be motivated to move forward, and bring innovations. Pakistani Nation, especially the youth, is very talented but they should be given a proper direction. Our education system must be more practical skills, because there is an extreme need for skilled labour in the future, and even now. Traditional jobs have finished. Now every person needs to bring in innovations in their lives and the lives of their Nation. They need to create job opportunities. The education system must be up to the level, where the students can compete in the world. Give students chance. The education must be concept-based and skill-based.

Our education system should keep social sciences as its priority too, because it teaches social and moral values and ethics to the students, and makes them responsible citizens. This is much needed for Nation -building. Schools and universities must play their part in Nation-building.

There must be an environment in the education institutes, where the students are given an opportunity to think and brainstorm. Students must be given the opportunity to come out of the bookish knowledge and think out of the box. This is the only way we can move forward. Studying just for the sake of exams is just not fair. We, as a Nation need to reconstruct our education system and put education as our top priority.

More and more libraries need to be made so that our students go to do research there. Students must be encouraged to go to libraries and do research there.

There must be equality in education, one unified system, which is most advanced and modern must prevail so that all students get equal opportunities to come forward. An A-Level student, an FSc student and a Madrassah student must receive an equal high-quality education, it is then competition will be created and we will move forward. There is a need to enhance the presentation skills of our students so that they are confident.

We need proper teachers’ training programs so that we have expert teachers who can teach properly. The use of modern teaching methods has become the need of the hour, we must work for it.

In the end, I would reiterate, that there is a strong need for education reforms in the country, and the government, as well as the whole Nation, must work for it. Both girls and boys must be given equal chances to receive a high-quality education. However, education must not become an example of cultural imperialism. We can be Pakistanis, yet receive a world-class education, it’s just that we need to bring our attention.

I hope you loved reading my article and understood what I was trying to tell in this article. You can give further suggestions as to how we can enhance our education system, and make it better. You have the complete right to agree or disagree with my opinion

Thank You!

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