Education plays a vital role in the development of a country. In Pakistan, unfortunately, 45 percent of our population is illiterate. In this scenario, how can anyone reasonably expect the country to progress and prosper?
Education system in a mess
Education plays a vital role in the development of a country. In Pakistan, unfortunately, 45 percent of our population is illiterate. In this scenario, how can anyone reasonably expect the country to progress and prosper? For this state of affairs, we can only blame the education system in Pakistan which has failed to really educate children. The system of education in public schools only creates rote learners; it doesn’t test students’ intellect but their ability to carefully memorize what they have been taught.
Unfortunately, most students studying in public schools - the percentage is roughly about 45 percent of Pakistan’s population - don’t have access to quality education. The medium of instruction in public schools is Urdu, which does not help them when they go for higher education. And, the remaining 55 percent of the students studying in private schools are trained to speak fluent English, acquire expensive degrees and work like robots. This phenomenon is not just limited to Pakistan, but is happening all around the world. Humans are transforming into robots.
Many students are being pressurized to do things they’re not willing to do. It does not matter which field of education they are interested in, as they are pressured into taking up what their parents want them to. All of our childhood, we were told to do things that we were interested in, but sadly it was never put into practice. I have experienced the harsh reality of this ugly system which doesn’t take into account the fact that different people have different interests, different strengths and different goals in life. All students are taught the same course, and given the same test, which is not the correct way to assess their potential. After years of learning, a two to three page resume decides their future.
Instead of pressurizing students, parents and teachers should encourage them to do what they want to do. Pressurizing a student is kind of mental harassment. If a student’s strength is music, then encourage him/her to practice music instead of forcing him/her to do something s/he’s not into. Countries like Finland, New Zealand and Germany top the charts in literacy rate, and they encourage their students in doing what they want to do. They’re way ahead of many other developed countries in various aspects. The reason for this advancement is simple: this became possible when they encouraged their youth to step up and follow their passion. If you judge everyone by the same test then it’s wrong. Students often commit suicide because of lack of opportunity and the immensely stressful pressure of work on them. If a country wants progress, then they have to support their youth and facilitate the young people to achieve excellence in the fields they want to take up. Progress will only be made when the students who are the future of this country are encouraged, guided and allowed to follow their dreams. They should not be discouraged and coerced into taking up subjects they have no interest in.
