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Classrooms decide the future of the nation

Mushtaq Ahmad Mahindro

Outline:

1. Introduction
2. How the future of the nations is built up?
3. Where the Pakistan stands and its classrooms both quantitatively and qualitatively?
4. The physical infrastructure, curriculum, faculty, delivery, administration/management,
creativity level, and examination system vs the international standards.
5. The education systems of Pakistan
a) Public
b) Private
c) Madrasah
a) Outdated teaching techniques
b) Low budget for development
c) Lack of research-oriented techniques and creativity
6. The developed world education system
a. Unified education system
b. Number of students per class
c. Sports and extracurricular activities
d. Emphasis on exploring and understanding the concepts
e. Creativity
f. Industrial based and associated
g. Effective management
h. Effective administration
i. Effectively designed curriculum
7. Recommendations
a) Equal rights and access to both genders
b) Unified education system
c) Proper budget allocation
d) Criticism to be encouraged
e) Equipped with modern technology
f) Participative method of teaching

Thesis statement: There is no blinking the fact that classrooms decide the future
of the nation because it is always the human resource, that is instrumental in
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shaping the future of a nation, and it develops only and only in a quality classroom
environment.
It goes without saying that it is the classroom which decides the future of the nations.
The veracity of the statement speaks volumes when we examine the education imparted in the
classrooms of the developed world with that of the underdeveloped one.

It will not be an exaggeration to say that education is the prime source and engine of
economic growth and poverty reduction for any country. No nation can perform well and take
advantage of trade and development opportunities in modern technology-driven and rapidly
integrating economies of the world without making major qualitative and quantitative advances in
the education sector. This is so because education empowers people by building their capacity to
participate more efficiently in the workforce market. In simplest words education is a key to change
and progress.

Hence there is no second opinion that in Pakistan too sustained economic growth can only be
achieved by giving due emphasis to its human resource development by adopting an effective
education system. Unfortunately, the ongoing education system and its dimensions have failed to
play its due role as envisaged. Presently Pakistan is confronting the gigantic problem of human
resource development. When we look at the economic map of the world we see that socio-
economic development and literacy percentage of a country goes hand in hand. In the face of these
realities, the literacy percentage level of this country still presents a very dismal picture in this
knowledge century. The literacy level in Pakistan remained just at the level of 57.7% (69.5% for
male and 45.2% for female) despite the introduction of more than 20 policies and action plans
since its birth. Baluchistan, rural Sindh, Fata, and rural Southern Punjab is much backward in this
regard. According to Economic Survey of Pakistan at present large number of schools in Pakistan
are without the basic infrastructure facilities i.e. around 33% primary schools are without a
boundary wall, without drinking water facility, and without latrines, around 60% are without
electricity, and 9.8% schools are even without buildings.

This is an era of knowledge-based economies, which could be achieved by spending more on

education and assigning due importance to this important sector. At present we are spending just
1.7% of our GDP on education. This puts us in the seven countries of the world which spend a
minimum of their GDP on education, whereas it should be 4% according to the international
standards. For a knowledge-based economy, the educated force is an extreme necessity. If China
has done a miracle in industrial development, it happened so because China invested a lot in the
production of Ph.D. level human resource. Today China is producing 50,000 PhDs annually,
whereas the USA produces 20,000, and India 9000.

In 2000, 164 countries including Pakistan agreed at the United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Education Forum to ensure basic education for all
by 2015. According to its annual report, the UN body said that around half of the 164 countries
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have succeeded in providing universal primary education. Pakistan, Yemen, and several Sub
Saharan African countries were nowhere close to meet their targets.

According to Director General UNESCO “in these 15 years, the world has made significant
progress –million more children are in school that would have been had the trends of the1990s
persisted. But governments need to prioritize the poorest – especially girls”. As the world’s poorest
children are four times less likely to go to school than the richest, the report said.

As regards Pakistan’s problems like; unemployment, target killing, terrorism, sectarianism,

unsatisfactory law and order situation, rampant corruption, bad governance, there are so many
factors responsible for all this but low literacy level is the crucial one. Because education brings
general awareness in the masses about their rights and duties of the people in power and also
inculcates requisite courage to fight for their rights. Moreover, it helps the masses to establish the
most required ‘institute of public accountability’ which makes the difference between the
developed world and the developing countries like Pakistan. On account of the role played by this
institution in the developed world the people in power corridors never dare to go against the
national interests. This institute has to yet take roots in Pakistan and play its role in reshaping the
socio-political fabric of the country. Our education system is still to address the conventional
problem like; multiple systems of education, inadequate funds, physical and other facilities, flawed
examination system, corruption, outdated curricula, poor management and supervision, lack of
research, efficient & professional teachers. Above all extremely poor supervisory checks to
implement the policies and plans already chalked out. Therefore what we need more is not only
the formulation of rational policies and plans but an adequate system for their implementation.

At present we have a very divisive education system which has created a huge quality gap
among the students and the nation. One serves the elite and the other man of the street thus resulting
in a social division and conflict. The existing multiple education systems can be discussed and
grouped in the following categories:

Cambridge Education system: This foreign-based education system caters for the needs of children
of the elite class. These students follow the “O” and “A” levels curriculum instead of Pakistan’s
indigenous low quality and poorly delivered curriculum meant for the poor classes in the
government schools. The medium of instruction is English. Since they perform better in the
competitive examinations of the country, therefore, become part of the ruling and governing class.

Pakistan Secondary Education System: This is provided by private and government schools for
the poor and middle class. The medium of instruction is Urdu and English is taught as a subject.
The children from these institutions, if they happen to have good grades and the parents also afford
they join the colleges and the rest either become clerk/ cashiers/ salesperson in a shop or worker
in a factory.

Madrassah Education System: They provide religious education. Poverty is the main factor that
forces the poor parents to send their children to religious Madrassahs as these Madrassahs provide
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free education along with free accommodation and food. The students qualified from religious
Madrassahs usually remain unaware of the outside world as they are not taught English, scientific
subjects, computer, and General Knowledge subjects. Since their degrees are not recognized by
the government, therefore, they don’t get any job in the government or private institutions hence
compelled to serve in a mosque.

Lack of professional/quality teachers: The main cause of failure of our public sector educational
system is the lack of professionally competent teacher class. Most of the teachers in government
schools rely mainly on the lecture method if they manage to deliver one. Cramming is part and
parcel of public sector schools and even colleges instead of helping them to perceive the
fundamental concepts and ability to analyze things and have independent thinking of their own.

Dropouts: It has been observed that about 30 percent of our students who enroll in primary
education in the government-run schools reach the matric exam. However, the main reasons for
these dropouts are poverty, unattractive and unproductive school environment.

Poor examination System: Our examination system encourages cramming instead of developing
intellectual power through learning. Moreover, the illegal practice in our examinations has spoiled
the very basis of education. As a next step people have started buying the fake degrees.

Inadequate Facilities: Most of our public sector schools lack basic infrastructure facilities.
Crowded classrooms, low standard, and non-motivated teachers, inadequate and ill-equipped
laboratories are the distinguishing features of public sector educational institutions.

Low Enrollment Rate: The present enrollment rate in Pakistan is 54 percent for males and 30
percent for females which is very low as compared to other countries of the region.

Out-dated Curriculum: The curriculum of our education system is unable to create the power of
reasoning in a child. It has little application in the practical life which the students have to face
when they come out of the institutions. Moreover, it is not in accordance with the international
standards so as to enable our students to compete in the world community in a befitting manner.

Administration and Supervision: Most of our supervisory and administrative lot is not either
competent or altogether not willing to perform its duty in a responsible manner. Supervision in our
government institutions is totally lacking. Incompetence, corruption, political influences, overall
bad governance or no governance environment support the ongoing system.

Political Interference: Political interference is rampant at the time of appointments /transfer of

teachers/supervisors against at the cost of merit. This is the main cause of the deterioration of our
education system.

Insufficient Budget Allocation: We spend less than 2 percent of our GDP on education, whereas it
should be not less than 4% according to the UNO standards.
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RECOMMENDATIONS:

The World Education Forum met in May 2015 in Incheon, Republic of Korea. While
reaffirming the vision of the worldwide movement for Education it pledged to “Ensure inclusive
and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030” as the
education was observed essentially for peace, tolerance, poverty eradication, and sustainable
economic development. The forum recognized the importance of gender equality in achieving the
right to education for all. It emphasized to increase public spending on education to the extent of
at least 4 - 6% of GDP or at least 15 - 20% of total public expenditure. In line with the above we
in Pakistan can move forward by taking into account the following:

Revisiting the Curriculum: The curriculum should be developed and updated in such a manner that
it enables the student to contribute to the country’s development and also be able to perform and
compete in the modern world.

Uniformity of Educational Systems: We have various school systems working in our country
resulting in the social division and creating a cause of conflict. We have English medium schools,
Urdu medium schools, and religious madrasahs. We need a uniform system of education for all
the citizens of Pakistan with one medium of instruction for which English seems to be a better
choice being widely spoken and understood in the modern world including it being the repository
of latest research work in all fields of education. However, Urdu and other local languages could
remain part of the curriculum.

Educational Administration: Our present educational management and a supervisory lot have
failed to deliver in letter and spirit. Therefore the federal ministry of education and provincial
departments of education should pay due attention to inject more qualified and motivated teaching
community to the education system.

Implementation of Policies: We must pay due heed to implement the good policies and plans
already chalked out by introducing a foolproof follow-up mechanism.

Examination System: To realize the good results from the educational reforms emphasis should be
made on improving the examination system, which should aim at bringing significant
improvement in the ability to perform in the taught.

It goes without saying that the literacy level of a country plays an unprecedented role in the
development and progress of that country, as it adds to the mental, physical and spiritual
development of its populace. The countries that have sound delivering education system also
happen to be the leaders of the world in all walks of life. In other words; it is the education that
can turn the population of any country from a ‘liability’ to a resource and capital; ‘The Human
Resource and the Human capital’. The main issues confronted by our education systems are: lack
of properly trained and motivated teachers, poorly managed and supervised public sector
schools/colleges, high dropout rates particularly at primary level, outdated curriculum, multiple
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education system, political interference, insufficient funds, corruption, flawed examination

system, lack of research and proper implementation of policies and follow up system.

The tragic part of the whole story is that in all our previous educational policies and plans we
did discuss all the above issues and chalked out plans to address the same but we badly failed at
the implementation level. This speaks for the crisis of intention and political will in the people at
the helm of affairs.

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