Private schools are expanding
day by day in Pakistan especially in Punjab at everywhere especially middle or
elementary schools. It is also a good thing in increasing education but at the
same time it is affecting learning and creates variation in thinking, statuses,
ideologies, preferences. It creates the issues of social class, ethnicity and
socioeconomic status. The expansion of private schools is also affecting the
parental choices regarding schools. This thing also creates competition,
comparison and glaring contrast which may be change in disorder and conflict in
society.
Using a new census of private educational institutions in Pakistan together with
the population census, it is presented that private schooling; particularly at
the primary level is indeed a large and increasingly important factor in
education in Pakistan both in absolute terms and relative to public schooling.
Pakistan cannot become fully developed country until the system and structure of
education is improved or totally changed. But today in Pakistan the condition of
schools of Govt sector is bad as compared private schools, this is mainly due to
the syllabus and the method of teaching in both Govt and Private sector. The
expansion of private or public schools and their ads on (media) TV, radio and
newspapers have also create problems for parents in choosing the schools.
In this context parental aspirations can play a vital role because according to
the Vitaro (2004), “The attitudes and aspirations of parents predict later
educational achievement of their children.” Parents are more likely to be
involved in their children’s education when they understand how their children’s
education connects to desire future education and work opportunities.
The Govt should maintain equal standard of education for both public and private
schools, and there should be a specific criteria for opening the private schools
to sustain a balance.There should be a proper check of private and government
schools as well which will ensure the quality of education. Seminars should be
conducted for the awareness and guidance of parents which will be helpful for
them in selecting the schools for their children.
When we (PU students) conduct a study which is contented to explore the role of
parent’s educational aspirations and school choice in the expansion of private
schools. A survey was conducted of the parents of district Kasur whose children
are enrolled in private schools. The study highly support that parents mostly
choose the schools for their children according to their aspiration it doesn't
matter either the parents are educated or not.
Parents are best judges who can observe the current scenario of competition in
the job market. Then according to the situation they try to choose the best
school which can help their children to face all the challenges and compete all
their fellows in future life by providing them best education and develop good
skills in them.
Expansion of private school is an important issue in Pakistan according to the
study the role of parent’s educational aspiration is significant in it.
Government should maintain the equal standard of education in both private and
Govt sector according to the resources of our country because both can play a
vital role in the progress of country.