A system that focuses on locking minds and instilling the fear of authority
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is perhaps the only country in the world today where educational institutions — schools, colleges and universities — are being run like factories. Our education system fully complies with the rules of a class society.
The major fault in our education system is the short-sighted policy of sacrificing the quality of education for monetary reasons. Even now, despite years of independence, our educational system has not succeeded in eliminating the chronic colonial and feudal mentality which abounds like a mental blight within or outside the academia. Presently, quality education is based on financial capacity, making higher education more of a privilege than a right as enshrined and guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan.
Our Pakistani mindset does not value knowledge and wisdom but focuses on means of becoming rich through a degree. In our society appearance, contacts and connections play a larger role than the substance, knowledge and wisdom. Sadly, our education system focuses on locking minds and instilling the “obey the authority mentality” than to create a free mind.
In remote areas, we can see children facing exceptional difficulties. The shortages of classrooms and textbooks are particularly severe. Other teaching tools such as science materials, teaching devices and audio-visual aids are also in short supply. This dismal situation handicaps the teaching staff in their work and the quality of education deteriorates in the country. But who cares? In our country, what has obtained the name of education is mostly trash. Things should not be allowed to deteriorate any further.
Hashim Abro
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2019.
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