REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION

Or

EDUCATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION IN PAKISTAN

-Education plays a key role in the development of a nation. It serves as the foundation
upon which the infrastructure of various agencies of a state is built. Without education the
progress in any sector of the economy is inconceivable because it is education that
moulds the attitudes of people and let them to perform their duties and avoid exploitation.
But unfortunately our education system is in a great shamble. Our literary rate is
desperately low as against a high drop out ratio at primary level. Our present literary rate
is hardly 40%. It means that the whole system is in doldrums. Let us discuss the issue in
detail.

Just after the independence, Pakistan had to face a lot of problems. Its agricultural
industry, trade and commerce and so many other sectors were in shabby condition. We
had a state with land and people but no proper infrastructure to develop these institutions.
The fact of education and educational institutions were not different. The British
introduced and established such a system that served their purpose. Its sole aim was to-
perpetuate the slavery of the enslaved nation in the sub-continent. It produced only clerks
and toadies. Certainly it was in no way suitable for a country like Pakistan which had
realized only its political freedom.

Keeping in view the dismal situation the government from the very beginning
concentrated on education. Successive governments made efforts to improve the level of
education both quantitatively and382

The Study of Education

qualitatively but no significant change has occurred so far. However the following
aspects were given due attention.

(1) Introduction of free and compulsory primary education.

(2) Education to be inspired by Islamic teachings.

(3) Circle of technical education is to be expanded.

(4) Improvement in the quality of education at all levels and in particular in

university education.

Besides this numerous education policies were announced in the country. The aim and
objectives of all these policies were to improve the quantity level as well as the quality to
achieve our goal. No policy was implemented in letter and spirit.
The developing countries of the world are trying their level best to discord the old and
obsolete colonial system served only a limited purpose and devise a full blown
educational system apt to their culture and civilization. Third world countries have made
remarkable strides in increasing their literary rates. Singapore has raised her literary rate
to 92 percent. Philippine 89 percent Sari Lanka 91 percent and China 86 percent as
against Pakistan which is not above 40 percent. Although our statistics are calculated on
the basis of a very weak and unrealistic definition of literacy, our criterion of literacy is
the ability "to sign" - a definition which does not meet the UN specification of the term.

Education provides the base upon which the pillars of progress and development of a
nation are erected. It is a great tragedy that in spite of theoretical fanfare no practical step
was ever taken by the government to end the educational bankruptcy of our nation. For
example Sharif Commission endeavoured to modify the British system and bring it closer
to American pattern in aim, content and testing model. American system became popular
in our country because it suits to mind of the present elite class of our society. <

Another drawback of our education system is the introduction of dual system i.e. the
English Medium private schools and Urdu medium government schools. The upper strata
prefer to send their children to English medium private schools being registered as
companies and are using important syllabi that are prepared and taught in foreign mostly
Western countries. These syllabi are more varied in content and style. The children of
these schools are taught leadership, self-respect, independent ideas, confidence building
and to select between alternatives.

The teaching staff is given better training facilities and are well versed in modern
teaching methods. They are given handsome packages as compared to government school
teachers. They are more civilized and less punitive. The expenditure incurred on teaching
staff their training, workshops and other facilities are being charged from students as high
fee whose parents can afford and pay gladly such high fee.

On the other hand in government schools both the teaching curriculum and style is totally
different. The teacher is a great authoritarian and discourages the student to express his
view-point. Number of students per class is so much high that the teacher even find it
difficult to remember the names of his pupils. Similarly, individual attention is quite
impossible. That is why sometimes even able and intelligent boys are spoiled. Rote
memorization of material by the students is the biggest feature of this system. The
students who are unable to memorize use unfair means to get through the examination.
The teaching staff is paid too little to make their both ends meet.

Since majority of our people are poor and so majority of the students dead in government
owned institutions where ethics social values and critical384

The Study of Education

11.
111.

IV.

understanding are seldom taught. Thus we have failed to improve the quantity as well as
quality of our education.

Let us now turn towards the direction of suggestions and sort out ways and means to
rectify the situation by bringing reforms in the system.

i. The curriculum presently in vogue needs to be thoroughly modified. The material

aimed at moral physical and spiritual uplift of the students be included in the
curriculum, ii. Adequate occasions for- extra curricular

activities be available to the students, In. Refresher courses " be arranged for
the government school teachers to acquaint them with the modern methods of teaching,
iv. Teaching activities of the teachers need to be

closely monitored.

The most important thing in this connection is mitigation of students per class. The
number of students in a class should not be more than thirty. So that every student could
receive individual attention of his teacher. The tercher should bring a positive change in
their attitudes and encourage the students to express their view point without any
hesitation.

The examination system needs to be changed altogether as it encourages selective study.

The material crammed by the students floats on their mind just after the examination
since their study is based on rote memorization and there is no thought or understanding
involved in their study. Such types of students have no imagination and calibre after they
leave the institutions. System should be devised in such a way to keep the students busy
throughout the year.

Primary and secortdary education should be. the focus of our attention as it helps in
increasing the literacy rate and provides a base for higher education. Awareness should be
created in masses and number of primary schools

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The Study of Education

should be increased every now and then politicisation of the educational institutions is
also a great issue. Political parties should strictly be banned to create their sphere of
influence in the educational institutions.. The practice of using students as shields and
pressure groups should be completely discouraged. As students are in the process of
learning so they should not be involved in active politics as it in no way conform with the
objectives for which the students enter into these institutes.

The union activities of the students should also be closely watched, as these activities
have proved detrimental for the cause of education. Closing the union activities
altogether is not reasonable but its mode should be changed. To realize the true aim of
union formation its 'office-bearers may be selected on the basis of student's academic
performance.

THE PEN IS POWERFUL THAN THE SWORD

Or

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Knowledge means the ability to read write or learn about something. It is not without
meaning to say that knowledge is power. The idea that wealth is the source of power does
not sound well because wealth is not a permanent thing. A well-off person of today may
be a financial destitute of tomorrow. Therefore man's wealth cannot be a true source of
power. Thus it is only knowledge that is final and the real source of power and strength.

The definition that knowledge means the ability to read or write is some what narrow in
extent as it is the sum total of all the laws in nature. There are various branches or
disciplines of knowledge. Similarly, physical and