KARACHI:
Students are one of the most affected groups during periods of social or political unrest in the country. Educational institutes are the first to close and the government issues several orders arbitrarily ignoring the wellbeing of students. This is very detrimental to the future workforce and the emerging society.
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, educational institutes have remained closed. Online teaching and learning have been extremely challenging because the institutes were not equipped with adequate gadgets. Many government schools and intermediate college have held no classes for almost two years now. Even universities that undertook online classes encountered several problems. Besides connectivity and software issues, students found it difficult to comprehend the teaching material via online learning. Those studying practical subjects suffered even more.
And at present, TLP supporters are out on the streets in protest because of which transport services have been suspended in Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. However, educational institutes remained open, and students had to struggle to reach their institutes amid road blockades and in the absence of transport. Many students were seen waiting for their vans and buses, but to no avail due to road closures. Consequently, educational institutes had to be closed involuntarily. Such disruptions are worsening the already weak education system in the country. The government needs to handle this responsibly because the entire country’s future is at stake.
Syed Irfan
Gujranwala
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2021.
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