Prime minister terms English medium system ‘mental slavery’

LAHORE: Prime Minister Imran Khan said Wednesday that integrity and honesty are the hallmarks of a true leadership and stressed the need for making the young generation acquainted with the Seerat of the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him).

Addressing the Punjab Education Convention here, he said besides imparting quality education to young people with the use of modern technology, it is imperative to guide and educate them about the supreme qualities of Seeratun Nabi (PBUH) for their character building. He regretted that the past rulers never laid emphasis upon the education sector and they never thought of a unform curriculum in the country. In the past, the rulers always prioritised short-term projects like Metro to get publicity for election campaigns, he added.

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar, Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, provincial ministers, provincial authorities and a large number of people were present on the occasion.

The prime minister said the English medium education system introduced by the British rulers has alienated the students from their basic culture. In the past, the best intellectuals were groomed by the government schools, but later the system waned and private sector thrived, making “us slaves to an alien culture,” he observed.

Cautioning against the negative impacts upon the society from the use of internet, he said “sex crimes” in Pakistan are on the rise, and blamed it on the negative side of the use of mobile phones. “In human history, we never witnessed the kind of exposure to things that children have nowadays,” he said.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was “pained” to see the Minar-e-Pakistan incident in which hundreds of men assaulted a woman on the Independence Day, and termed it a source of “shame” for the country. “No one could have imagined such an incident taking place [in Pakistan] when I was growing up.”

“The downfall that we are witnessing today is because our children are not being educated in the right manner,” he said. The prime minister said the world has high esteem for the distinct characteristics of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He was a Sadiq and Ameen and the whole world respects him, he added. Imran said Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and former president of the South African Republic Nelson Mandela were regarded as honest and trustworthy even by their rivals. “So these qualities, which made them so great, should be taught to our children in schools.

The prime minister lauded Punjab Minister for Education Murad Ras for his “passion” for education and for implementing the single national curriculum in the province. Imran also heaped praise on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for his works in the province.

Addressing the launching ceremony of Ravi River Urban Development Project, the prime minister said the besides its environmental benefits, is expected to generate $40 billion revenue. The project will not only prove beneficial for Lahore but for the entire country in addressing the environmental and financial problems, he said at the launch of the country’s first Smart Forest near Sheikhupura, under the Ravi Urban project. Imran said the project would stop the sewage seeping into the River Ravi.

Under the project, he said, around 10 million trees would be planted besides construction of three barrages at the river. Filtration plants will ensure provision of clean water to the public, he added. He asked CM Usman Buzdar to remain undeterred amidst challenges and work towards timely completion of the project. He termed water scarcity, deforestation and glacier melting biggest challenges for the country, which was among the ten most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. He said massive forestation is vital to save the country for the coming generations.

The prime minister said the growth of every plant would be monitored in collaboration with the tech giant Huawei. He said sensors would keep a check on the ruthless deforestation and expressed confidence that it would be replicated in other parts of the country.

Earlier, the prime minister planted a sapling in the forest, which is first of its kind being equipped with technology sensors and surveillance systems. The Rakh Jhok Forest is a project of the Ravi Urban Development Authority covering 24,000 Kanals.

On the other hand, Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik and Inspector General of Police Inam Ghani called upon the prime minister and briefed him about the overall law and order situation in the province and steps taken for the protection of women. Imran directed strict and immediate steps for stopping incidents of harassment against women. Immediate measures must be taken to ensure stringent punishment to the culprits, he said.

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar met the prime minister and apprised him of his meeting with European Parliament members, Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority and various other issues. The prime minister directed the governor to expedite Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority.