Often the wrong paths are enforced on the people who dream
KARACHI: Division of labour has been a phenomenon that can be tracked since ancient times. Amid these myriad pathways available, some have always been on the higher rungs of the social ladder. Nothing is much different with the contemporary social order. Some professions are deemed more prestigious in our society and while running towards the finish line often the wrong paths are enforced on the people who dream.
Pakistan since ages has been the home of people who consider being a doctor holy or having an engineering degree the only certificate of competence, disregarding all other possible streams of education and career. Except for some high-end schools which give a taste of all domains to students, most others are merely there for ensuring parents that their enrolled child would clear the annual exam even if that poor kid has to sit all day gaining zero understanding of the subject. So, when it’s time to choose a specific bachelor’s programme to get admitted to, they have nothing in sight. Instead they go with the flow or try something that is termed ‘in scope’ in the market for job availabilities. This is an even more complex problem. Lacking motivation and interest, following the developed educational habits, thousands of students graduate but fail to find their place in the competitive market and stand nowhere. Often students realise what they want to do with their lives after their university education. The social factors limit them from leaving their adopted field and doing so would label them as someone who couldn’t prove himself in his or her domain.
What needs to be done is that the social institutions of education needs to be revolutionised in a way that students can filter out their choices at a time more suitable that would eventually help them grow and learn. The learning process would be motivated by passion and the outcomes would be more productive and unique. Instead of being a sheep from the flock, intellectualism should prevail and a better contribution from their side would be seen in all domains. Our entire education schema lacks the most basic pillar, namely career counselling, which needs to be adhered to in the early teaching phase so students could choose a path they could happily stick to later on in life.
Safeer Haider
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2019.
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