Ajmal Khan Yousafzai
The problem with the education system is that it lacks the fundamental agenda of how to develop a generation that has a motivation, as well as a will to work and fully committed to transform challenges into opportunities for better future. Therefore, it is the need of hour to address this fundamental issue which is essential for the development of next generation and thus the country.
This is a fact that only quality education can bring country towards development in the long run. Unfortunately, there are still 25 million kids who are deprived of basic education but even those who are luckily enrolled and are school going needs attention as the system in which they are taught is not updated. therefore, when it comes to competing with other countries, Pakistani students remains in the last row, not to take into consideration the exceptional cases.
The problem is severe, despite spending valuable time of their lives at schools, most of them end up without having sufficient analytical ability, creativity, and innovation. A few questions needs to be answered, such as the relevant authorities needs to assess what is being taught at what age? How is it being taught? How it transforms the human minds at later stage of their practical life?
Answers to the above questions would be a step closer to having a quality education system. The last couple years all the concentration was given to increasing enrolments. Some campigne were initiated to bring as many students into school as possible but again bringing kids to students is not the actual issue, to some extend it is an issue but most importantly, it is essential to formulate a perfect curriculum which includes all the necessary ingredients that the kids needs and that which can nourish their innovative, creative and analytical abilities.
The hardworking teachers and students, who give a lot of time for the educational process, age old ways of implementing the rusted system ruins their hard work. There has almost been no innovation reported from our country. Although, some would come to the Television channel claiming to have invented a car which runs with water, such acts are full of dramas and are there to entertain. But around the globe, all inventions are coming from China, US, or Europe etc. Despite an excellent IQ level of our youth, our engineers, doctors, scientists etc have been unable to discover anything new within the country.
They are very hardworking, but due to critical reasons, they are unable to deliver according to their intellectual abilities. At present the Primary, Middle, Matric, Intermediate level majority of the students obtaining above 90 per cent marks in all examinations, even in the language courses like English and Urdu, whereas the ground reality is that many of them are unable to write even a few lines on an contemporary topic or some a new innovative topic.
Almost all of the toppers unable to solve the unseen Physics, electronics, Biology, Sociology and Mathematics problems. These are the subjects that shape technology and contribute to the advancement of science. Pakistani students are severely lacking free thinking. Even our social scientists are unable to understand the local problems and issues. As a result we have to hire foreign experts to analyze our own society.
Now, how can it be altered, as mentioned above, it is very important for the system to implement double check rules, and formulate a curriculum which is vital for the nourishment of students at the early stage. Some of the rules that I think can contribute in this regard are as followed with little bit explanation.
First of all, there should be a method and focus on evaluation rather than examination. In all developed countries, the concept of examination is totally different from Pakistan. Their students are so relaxed and always happy rush to school because they don’t get stressed there. like in Pakistan, the primary school students have this much books, that they can’t carry them on their own. while, the examination at early stage brings and creates fear, stress. Psychological it is not possible to learn properly if the student is under stress. Also, the results of examination let the students at the misery of parents, as most of the Pakistani parents behave harshly with their kids, if they get unsatisfactory marks. Thus it should be advised that this needs proper solution. As in Japan, students up to the age of eight, never attempt examination while studying at school.
Next, it is urgency to eliminated multiple levels and standards. In the first five years, no need of too many books and subjects. The books should be devised on the basis of the national curriculum standards. And there should not be a single multileveled topic in any book. if one thoroughly examined foreign procedure, they totally avoid confusing topics in children education and if you thoroughly examined Pakistani school text books, which are full of multileveled topics, and surprisingly at some point very wrong or disinformation is included. How come some topics which could be confusing for adults remains in children text books.
Next, it is also vital to maintain a proper student teacher ratio. And provide teacher trainings according to new standards. After making a nation-wide age wise curriculum guideline for the country’s school children in first step, there will be a need to maintain a proper student teacher ratio in the classes and training of teachers according to the new demands, to extensively work out plans to chalk out the procedures. The teacher’s training is already done after induction of new teachers. However, it is not focused. For all implementations, more funds are not needed, just proper thoughtful utilization of funds in line with the national goals is need of the hour. People like myself are hopeful citizens and dreams of the day when Pakistan get to the point where each Pakistani could proudly say, we have invented these, and contributing more in the future. -The author is a staff member of The Daily Mail.
