7. Revolution In Education

REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION Or EDUCATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION IN PAKISTAN -Education plays a key role in the development of a nation. It serves as the foundation upon which the infrastructure of various agencies of a state is built. Without education the progress in any sector of the economy is inconceivable because it is education that moulds the attitudes of people and let them to perform their duties and avoid exploitation. But unfortunately our education system is in a great shamble. Our literary rate is desperately low as against a high drop out ratio at primary level. Our present literary rate is hardly 40%. It means that the whole system is in doldrums. Let us discuss the issue in detail. Just after the independence, Pakistan had to face a lot of problems. Its agricultural industry, trade and commerce and so many other sectors were in shabby condition. We had a state with land and people but no proper infrastructure to develop these institutions. The fact of education and educational institutions were not different. The British introduced and established such a system that served their purpose. Its sole aim was toperpetuate the slavery of the enslaved nation in the sub-continent. It produced only clerks and toadies. Certainly it was in no way suitable for a country like Pakistan which had realized only its political freedom. Keeping in view the dismal situation the government from the very beginning concentrated on education. Successive governments made efforts to improve the level of education both quantitatively and382 The Study of Education qualitatively but no significant change has occurred so far. However the following aspects were given due attention. (1) Introduction of free and compulsory primary education. (2) Education to be inspired by Islamic teachings. (3) Circle of technical education is to be expanded. (4) Improvement in the quality of education at all levels university education.

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Besides this numerous education policies were announced in the country. The aim and objectives of all these policies were to improve the quantity level as well as the quality to achieve our goal. No policy was implemented in letter and spirit.

The developing countries of the world are trying their level best to discord the old and obsolete colonial system served only a limited purpose and devise a full blown educational system apt to their culture and civilization. Third world countries have made remarkable strides in increasing their literary rates. Singapore has raised her literary rate to 92 percent. Philippine 89 percent Sari Lanka 91 percent and China 86 percent as against Pakistan which is not above 40 percent. Although our statistics are calculated on the basis of a very weak and unrealistic definition of literacy, our criterion of literacy is the ability "to sign" - a definition which does not meet the UN specification of the term. Education provides the base upon which the pillars of progress and development of a nation are erected. It is a great tragedy that in spite of theoretical fanfare no practical step was ever taken by the government to end the educational bankruptcy of our nation. For example Sharif Commission endeavoured to modify the British system and bring it closer to American pattern in aim, content and testing model. American system became popular in our country because it suits to mind of the present elite class of our society. < Another drawback of our education system is the introduction of dual system i.e. the English Medium private schools and Urdu medium government schools. The upper strata prefer to send their children to English medium private schools being registered as companies and are using important syllabi that are prepared and taught in foreign mostly Western countries. These syllabi are more varied in content and style. The children of these schools are taught leadership, self-respect, independent ideas, confidence building and to select between alternatives. The teaching staff is given better training facilities and are well versed in modern teaching methods. They are given handsome packages as compared to government school teachers. They are more civilized and less punitive. The expenditure incurred on teaching staff their training, workshops and other facilities are being charged from students as high fee whose parents can afford and pay gladly such high fee. On the other hand in government schools both the teaching curriculum and style is totally different. The teacher is a great authoritarian and discourages the student to express his view-point. Number of students per class is so much high that the teacher even find it difficult to remember the names of his pupils. Similarly, individual attention is quite impossible. That is why sometimes even able and intelligent boys are spoiled. Rote memorization of material by the students is the biggest feature of this system. The students who are unable to memorize use unfair means to get through the examination. The teaching staff is paid too little to make their both ends meet. Since majority of our people are poor and so majority of the students dead in government owned institutions where ethics social values and critical384 The Study of Education 11.

111. IV. understanding are seldom taught. Thus we have failed to improve the quantity as well as quality of our education. Let us now turn towards the direction of suggestions and sort out ways and means to rectify the situation by bringing reforms in the system. i. The curriculum presently in vogue needs to be thoroughly modified. The material aimed at moral physical and spiritual uplift of the students be included in the curriculum, ii. Adequate occasions for- extra curricular activities be available to the students, In. Refresher courses " be arranged for the government school teachers to acquaint them with the modern methods of teaching, iv. Teaching activities of the teachers need to be closely monitored. The most important thing in this connection is mitigation of students per class. The number of students in a class should not be more than thirty. So that every student could receive individual attention of his teacher. The tercher should bring a positive change in their attitudes and encourage the students to express their view point without any hesitation. The examination system needs to be changed altogether as it encourages selective study. The material crammed by the students floats on their mind just after the examination since their study is based on rote memorization and there is no thought or understanding involved in their study. Such types of students have no imagination and calibre after they leave the institutions. System should be devised in such a way to keep the students busy throughout the year. Primary and secortdary education should be. the focus of our attention as it helps in increasing the literacy rate and provides a base for higher education. Awareness should be created in masses and number of primary schools 385 The Study of Education should be increased every now and then politicisation of the educational institutions is also a great issue. Political parties should strictly be banned to create their sphere of influence in the educational institutions.. The practice of using students as shields and pressure groups should be completely discouraged. As students are in the process of

learning so they should not be involved in active politics as it in no way conform with the objectives for which the students enter into these institutes. The union activities of the students should also be closely watched, as these activities have proved detrimental for the cause of education. Closing the union activities altogether is not reasonable but its mode should be changed. To realize the true aim of union formation its 'office-bearers may be selected on the basis of student's academic performance. THE PEN IS POWERFUL THAN THE SWORD Or KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Knowledge means the ability to read write or learn about something. It is not without meaning to say that knowledge is power. The idea that wealth is the source of power does not sound well because wealth is not a permanent thing. A well-off person of today may be a financial destitute of tomorrow. Therefore man's wealth cannot be a true source of power. Thus it is only knowledge that is final and the real source of power and strength. The definition that knowledge means the ability to read or write is some what narrow in extent as it is the sum total of all the laws in nature. There are various branches or disciplines of knowledge. Similarly, physical and