KARACHI:
Despite having more than 175 universities across the country and thousands of schools and colleges, we only produce 0.4 million graduates each year. None of our universities are globally recognised or ranked in even the 500 premium institutes. One of the main reasons for this is the absence of experienced instructors who can lead the new generation in the right direction. Academics are treated as ordinary employees and not granted liberty to make decisions about their teaching content and methodology. Due to limited authority and strict policies, academics fail to incite curiosity and creativity amongst their students. Resultantly, teaching outcomes are poor, which has a detrimental impact on the overall development of society.
A major issue faced by higher education institutes is that by the time instructors achieve ample experience and knowledge, they have reached the age of retirement. Thus, they can no longer inculcate skills and knowledge into students. They are often replaced by younger and lesser experienced instructors who cannot create the same teaching impact.
To produce better teaching outcomes and improve the overall higher education system, the age of retirement should be adjusted to 65 years provided that the instructor feels fit to serve. This has been a successful model around the globe. With greater experience, teachers feel more confident and motivated in delivering content. Also, university academics should be given social and fiscal incentives and offered professional training and courses that can support them in teaching and learning.
Intikhab Ulfat
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2022.
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