Modern education

Singapore achieved its status of a developed nation by allocating adequate government resources on education and giving the sector top priority. Teachers in Singapore enjoy a special status. However, in Pakistan, the opposite is true. In our country, the government allocates literally ‘peanuts’ to the cause of education. ‘Teaching’ is considered as one of the most unpopular professions with teachers running from pillar to post to get recognition for their services. In fact, neither parents nor a counsellor would advise a student to pursue teaching as a long-term career. Our materialistic society only respects doctors, engineers, managers, chartered accountants and lawyers. People in these professions earn a lot more than teachers.

With the right focus on education (even if we are currently running three parallel systems of education – the O Level one, matriculation and the madrassah one), multiple benefits can be achieved, such as population growth control, better opportunities for all sections of society including a 100 percent rate of literacy, a more skilled workforce both for domestic and foreign man-power placement, an increase in the number of taxpayers, promotion of research and development in the country, etc. If Pakistan is to properly embrace modernity, ‘modern education’ must be strengthened by each and every shareholder of the country.

Abbas R Siddiqi

Lahore