At present, a new caretaker government has taken the reins of the country with the ongoing economic crisis. It is a good beginning towards holding the General Elections 2023 after political disturbances. It is expected to have fair and free elections to have a smooth functioning of the country under one elected democratic government as what we have observed in the near past can never be forgotten where some mischievous acts tried to spoil the situation by targeting the reputation of our country.
However, there is a need to look at the root causes of these developments which caused many to rise violently. Capacity-building programmes are required for handling sensitive issues instead of creating chaos in surroundings on one call of a leader. Here, education comes. The correct imparting of education for the sake of the country is required. It starts from the basics. The question arises, is our education and curriculum providing us with enough knowledge and guidance to tackle the issues on political grounds?
We need to think here. There is a need to teach and make aware the youngsters to handle maturely and tactfully sensitive and controversial issues. In this, the teacher’s role is crucial. Thus, teachers are required to undergo formal training in tackling issues, such as; terrorism, political polarization, violence, and extremism, along with thoughtfulness, problem-solving, dialogue, patience, and so on. Islam also teaches us to balance in every situation. It is the moral duty of a teacher to de-escalate the situation where extremism is observed. Instead of aggressive teaching, promoting feedback, discussion, and participation should be involved to encourage the students to be a part of healthy culture instead of keeping them distracted from the right path. It enhances their cognitive thinking skills and they can act sensibly instead of answering any call of any other person without realizing right or wrong. A little motivation will surely work wonders. This missing loop needs to be bridged from the institutional ground.
Quality education requires imparting the true capacity and character building of our young students. A society grows with good and quality leaders who teach youngsters on the right path. Quality guidance and education are true weapons of our strength. As quoted, “If there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do no harm”. Then, why not equip oneself with this powerful weapon and be a strength of each other and improve cognitive skills?
When we glance at the quality of books and curriculum, is it providing enough guidance to our young generation? No, it requires to be improved, instead of repeating the same old curriculum of many years. We cannot find enough appealing material in textbooks that can be called a good capacity and character-building material. A society will produce the leader from the circle as he or she is the product of the same society having the traits which have been inculcated within him or her. Thus, there is a need to inculcate valuable traits in our society for great future products or leaders having great, inspiring leadership qualities. As has been said, “A secret to success is good leadership, and good leadership is all making the lives of your team members or work better”.
A drastic increase in tuition fees per annum especially in private institutions makes it beyond the reach of the majority. There is a cry in our society for quality education as awareness has emerged. Honesty, dedication, and loyalty are required in implementation. The nation looks forward to a prosperous nation and a fair and free election in the coming months for the smooth functioning of departments and the selection of leaders on merit. A leader’s vision takes the project or aims to heights and can be spoiled per his/her capabilities. Whether it’s educational or any political institution or department, all dependent on political stability and vision. Thus, in a nutshell, the implementation of strategies is affected by undue political interference.
Other than this, the educational problems include, firstly, educational needs are adjusted per local needs, instead of providing and leading to the current knowledge. There are two segments in society, public and private schooling, which leads to two different educational standards that create the disparity among the people.
Secondly, lesser emphasis on technical institutions means lesser manpower for industry and leads to lesser finance generation. Thirdly, there is need for more funding in the educational sector for boosting and encouraging the morale of students. Fourthly, there is a need to look into the pay scales, benefits, training, and perks of teaching faculties as they are the actual providers of quality education.
Fifth are poverty issues. The low attendance in schools leads to an ignorant generation being developed. Sixth, checks and balances of funds are required to be kept under a responsible eye. Seventh, poor deliverance of educational services. Eighth, the obvious difference in government facilities and private schools leads to low enrollment and an uncomfortable learning environment, and ninth, focusing on theoretical work as compared to practical work. Burki (2005) stated in research that the public-school curriculum requires to be updated as not catering to the needs of the 21st century.
The mentioned problems are ongoing and have seen little or no improvement in different previous governments, but still, they are present and require to be dealt with properly and monitored aggressively. From time to time, criticism is raised against the Pakistani educational system within the country. Thus, the practices and standards may be rationalized by improving accountability and governance. It would further be workable by enabling capacity-building programmes, check and balance, educational investments, faculty training, hiring, and curriculum development per the requirements of the 21st-century educational system. Not the least, making the standard educational system within reach of the salaried class.
As observed, a drastic increase in tuition fees per annum especially in private institutions makes it beyond the reach of the majority. There is a cry in our society for quality education as awareness has emerged. Honesty, dedication, and loyalty are required in implementation. The nation looks forward to a prosperous nation and a fair and free election in the coming months for the smooth functioning of departments and the selection of leaders on merit. A leader’s vision takes the project or aims to heights and can be spoiled per his/her capabilities. Whether it’s educational or any political institution or department, all dependent on political stability and vision. Thus, in a nutshell, the implementation of strategies is affected by undue political interference.
