Education is simply defined as
the only way of learning and knowing. It’s an opulent or gift free from any kind
of possession and basic right of every person to get access to it. Education
builds the way of developing a strong nation. In fact, it is said that
dissemination of modern education leading the nation towards development, peace
and prosperity. Joseph S. Nye says, it is technology and energy that will decide
super power of 21st century. Technological development can be achieved via
education and high literacy rate as most of the today’s powerful states have
been doing. It’s education that led the Western countries at the peak of
economic and human development. Today’s most powerful economic states like
United States, Britain, Germany, Japan and others have almost 100 percent
literacy rate that plays key role in their technological and economic progress.
They have been concentrating on the process of learning under robust education
system.
Bruce Brown said, “We need the best education system in the United States. The
best system, not the most expensive.” It is very unfortunate for Pakistani
nation because the youth groom under a rotten educational system. The literacy
rate is almost 55 to 57 percent and ranked 113th out of 120 UN member states.
During Musharraf era, the education sector reached to its peak because he had
invested in this sector. However, the fragile system of education has been
facing critical crises due to various reasons.
The education sector works with different curriculums which produce two
different kinds of thoughts among the youth. The burgeoning numbers of private
institutions are English medium whereas the governmental institutions are being
taught the subjects in national language Urdu. In the same way, the provincial
differences are also playing their vital role in creating discrimination among
the youth. The lack of schools with scanty resources in Baluchistan cannot groom
students as that of Punjab with ample resources. The literacy rate in
Baluchistan and FATA is very low (almost 28-30%) that creating obstacles to get
education in good vibe.
Gender discrimination is another critical issue, common in all areas of the
country. The conservative thinking of people regarding girls creates obscurity
in the way of enhancing literacy rate. Most of the people of far off areas do
not want girls to get education which left the gap with a ratio of 10:4 between
boys and girls in primary schools. The female literacy in FATA is very low with
just 3 percent.
Diogenes Laertius said, “The foundation of every state is the education of its
youth.” But unfortunately the fragile education system of Pakistan seems unable
to train, educate and guide the students with an optimum fashion. This sector is
also affected by ethnic and sociopolitical atrocities. The uneducated youth tilt
towards terrorist and other disastrous activities which destroy the peace and
prosperity of the society. Similarly, the educated youth also express
aggressiveness due to unemployment and vary education system.
The teachers’ lack of experience or untrained is not less than curse in
governmental institutions. All the jobless people who don’t get jobs in other
sectors, try their luck in education where they fail to educate, train and guide
the youth. This is the main reason of low education in public school, colleges
and universities. Moreover, the poor people cannot send their children in
private sectors due to high fees. These children turn towards government schools
where they face untrained teachers along with scanty resources.
Technical education is an essential ingredient for the development of economy
but unfortunately this field is not into the focus of government. These flaws of
education sector or government educational policies keep the states deprived
from skillful people. Most importantly, the education budget is very low which
hardly equal to one and half day of our military budget. The allocation of fund
for education is 1.5 to 2 percent of total budget which is less or hardly equal
to sub-Saharan states. But, however the government has to increase it to 7
percent of its total budget.
Pakistan massive population will be reached to 350 million which is alarming for
the government. If this massive crowed of public get well education, so they can
be law-abiding citizens and thriving an Islamic Republic to with a robust and
booming economy. Islamabad can restore its prestige within and outside the world
for playing role in internal matters. The removal of all obstacles from the
system is not an easy task it would need cooperation and time. The government is
not looking ambitious for tackling the issues. They need to replace the fragile
rules with some new ideas which can be withstood to the onslaught of changing
time. But the following suggestions may be helpful for tackling all the issues.
First, the education system is not only the responsibility of government but
also the rest of institutions like Media, politicians, businessmen, and civil
society. They need to aware the people while disseminating the modern education.
Moreover, the four provinces need to be enthusiastic for removing the tackling
the existing issues.
Second, the government authority must fulfill its promises of providing free
education which is also mentioned in Pakistan constitution. The government
should establish new schools, colleges, universities and enhance the stander of
existing educational institutions. The corrupt teachers and other
administrations become the main source of poor quality of education.
Third, the state must increase total budget from 2 to 7 percent. Research sector
should have an important place and the government has to focus on it because the
whole education and development is based on new ideas. Albert Einstein said,
“Education is not the learning facts but training of mind how to think.” So it
is education that enables the youth to think positively in the great interest of
one’s own country.
Fourth, the message of awareness about education should be sent widely to the
people via every possible communication medium such as social media, radio, TV,
internet, newspaper, conferences and mobile phone etc. Communication is suitable
and best resource for transforming the education.
Fifth, the government should impose emergency of education in entire country on
urgent bases because still around a third of children are out of institutions.
They should also bring reforms in their policy because the current fragile
system cannot educate youth with international stander.
Sixth, there must one curriculum or syllabus in entire country then it will be
easy to remove differences of thoughts via equal lines.
Education is very consequential for making a strong nation. It is the only good
omen for building economy and technological development. The government should
concentrate all existing flaws in the system in order to improve the quality of
education. The youth is opulence of the state so they must be well-trained and
educate because they are tomorrow’s nation builders.