Its eradication is possible by providing course books on time and having only 30 students per class
TURBAT: The new District Commissioner (DC) of Kech in Balochistan has established new laws to eradicate corruption in the district. One of which is imposing a ban on cheating during exams in the province. Although I really appreciate this step as it would improve the state of education, it raises some questions regarding the education system in the province.
Recently, we conducted a programme to highlight problems of Atta Shad Degree College Turbat and other governmental institutions for the DC to solve. The first issue we identified was ghost teachers, who don’t perform their duties in class but take their salaries at home. This results in students lagging behind the curriculum and, in return, the only teacher present is compelled to take all the classes without any breaks.
Today, because of teachers’ absenteeism, the students in the province cheat during exams as their courses remain incomplete. On the other hand, there are over 200 students per class. As a result productive learning becomes impossible to achieve with a single lecturer trying to handle the class.
If an institution doesn’t have teachers, then how will the students study? And if the education system is corrupt then how can we expect the children not to cheat? The students never wanted to cheat but the system has compelled them to do so. Putting a ban on cheating alone won’t make the system better.
The prevention of cheating is possible by creating an environment in which educational institutions function in a systematic way. Its eradication is possible by providing course books on time and having only 30 students per class. Moreover, the DC also needs to visit schools in rural areas. According to a report published by the NGO Alif Ailaan, there are 216 non-functional schools in Balochistan, among which 36pc schools have no access to drinking water, 55pc of schools are without any toilets, 56pc have no electricity and more than 15pc schools proper buildings.
Previously, Balochistan chief minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch led a rally in Quetta to highlight the growing trend of cheating in the province. But despite such attempts, the ground reality is the same. I appeal to the incumbent chief minister and the new DC to take serious actions against ghost teachers and provide better educational institutions, which will automatically eradicate the cheating culture.
Shakeel Phullan
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2017.
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