EDUCATION is considered by many
to have a close relationship with development. Usually the concept of
development is confined to economic development i.e. education for better jobs
or educated citizens for national economic development.
This relationship does not fully describe the potential of education, or, for
that matter, of development.
A more holistic view of development would include the aspect of social
development as well. This view suggests that large dams, long railway tracks,
metallic roads, skyscrapers and big shopping plazas denote just one aspect of
development. A more holistic notion of development, however, would include some
other important aspects of human development, e.g., education, the environment,
healthcare, food and other standards of living.
This view of development has been highlighted by some leading economists
including Amartya Sen of India and Mahbub ul Haq of Pakistan. Sen’s famous work,
Development as Freedom, considers freedoms of choice and expression as important
indicators of development.
A fuller view of development which is sustainable in nature does not confine
itself to the study of only sciences but encompasses a much broader range of
subjects including the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities. It
is this broad spectrum of knowledge construction that helps us understand the
notion of development and sustain it.
When we talk of development we usually refer to development that is sustainable.
We have seen development in the recent past, during Gen Musharraf’s era, which
was artificial in nature as money was flowing in as a result of the post 9/11
situation.
Our reserves were inflated and the economic statistics looked so very
impressive. This situation changed drastically after a few years as the inflow
of money was suddenly reduced. A simple definition of sustainable development
that is cited by Unesco suggests that sustainable development seeks “to meet the
needs of the present without compromising those of future generations”. The
concept of sustainable development, thus, is incomplete without education and a
literate society.
It is through education that one learns useful skills, ideas, values and
thoughts to become a thinking citizen of society. It is education that can turn
an ordinary society into a learning-oriented society that could explore
innovative solutions to the challenges we face today.
A pertinent question, however, is whether or not it is the higher literacy rate
that enhances the chances of development. The answer to this question is in the
negative as it is not just the literacy rate but also the quality of education
which plays a vital part in sustainable socio-economic development.
If we were to examine the quality of education, in most mainstream schools, we
would realise that the process of education resembles closely what Brazilian
educator Paulo Freire refers to as the “banking concept of knowledge” where
students sit back, teachers transmit information and students reproduce this
information in the examination paper and score good marks.
This process of teaching and learning is defective in essence and produces
robots who cannot think on their own. A holistic concept of education should tap
the learners’ knowledge, skills and attitudes. One of the major goals of
education that paves the way for sustainable development, but which is missing
in most mainstream schools in Pakistan, is enabling students to think
independently and creatively. Education should empower students to apply
knowledge in new situations while remaining sensitive to the requirements of the
context.
There is an urgent need to revamp teacher education in Pakistan in order to make
it relevant and effective by incorporating the components of reflection and
critical thinking and by establishing a vibrant linkage between theory and
practice.