KARACHI:
The exacerbating Covid-19 crisis has exposed the poor, fragile and somber state of schools and colleges across Pakistan. Relentless prolongation in the closure of educational institutions nationwide has left parents with no other option but to either teach their children themselves or to force their children into other activities including work.
Having interviewed many parents about how they were dealing with their child’s educational needs during lockdowns, I came to know that it was a gigantic shock for them to realise how deplorable the education system of schools and colleges really was. Many didn’t even know that their child was miserably lacking in the most basic subjects despite paying institutions an exorbitant sum of money. Rather than developing the students’ learning abilities and intellectual skills, academic institutions have ingrained in them a simplified concept that is to be memorised in order to toughen them up for the competitive corporate world. This is a matter of grave concern because if children are taught this way they won’t be able to think for themselves. Instead, they will be trained to work like machines. Parents need to realise that changing schools will not ameliorate the problem. They need to personally focus on their child’s development by analysing what they are being taught.
The problem of education needs to be tackled through concrete, pragmatic and collective steps taken both by the parents and the government. While parents do need to give their children their attention, the relevant authorities need to address the various issues that plague the education system of the country. Only then can we pave the way for a better and brighter future for our children.
Usama Mughal
Kandhkot
Published in The Express Tribune, December 1st, 2021.
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