Shaukat Hayat Buneri
No one can never deny the importance and utility of knowledge and education in the modern world. All the advanced states of the world, while realizing the importance and utility of knowledge and education, are making tremendous efforts to get excel from one another in the race of progress and development in the modern world by the virtue of their knowledge.
But ironically we have turned a deaf ear and blind eyes to make headway in the field of education. The root cause of our failed and outdated education system is the elite class of society who either sent their children to the advanced educational institutions of foreign countries or get them admitted in O or A- level education institutions of the country.
As against, the parents belonging to poor and middle class are compelled to admit their offspring in the government run schools/colleges where the old methodology of teaching and outdated curriculum is still in vogue. So keeping in view this pathetic situation of our education sector; the time has come to introduce a uniform educational system throughout the country. Because for the child of a poor there is one system of education while for the rich and affluent ones there is another highest standard of education at international level.
It is also added here that attainment of Technical education is also being made essential and mandatory along with the traditional system of education in most countries of the world. Therefore the time has come to stress on the need to get technical education even from the school period.
The technical education must be introduced from 6ht to 8the class in order to make a cap of skill and technical youth even from their school time.
In this way although a student weak in English or Math might not be able to get success in traditional or regular education but at least be able to turn a skillful and professional person in life.
So in the same line imparting of technical or vocational knowledge and know how like refrigeration, air conditioning, civil, electrical, mechanical and textile courses etc must be given after primary level.
This trend or step in our education sector will not only create awareness regarding the importance of technical education in our students and youth but also be helpful to make each and every member of our society as skilful and vocational person.
Right now we have shortage of skillful and technical people in our country. Side by side there are ample jobs opportunities for the skilled and technical people in different technical fields of the world.
Therefore it is the need of the hour to make arrangements slowly and gradually for setting up branches of technical education on emergent basis and make it mandatory for each and every student to get technical education for three years at least after passing primary level of schooling.
As far as the plights of the educational institutions situated in our rural belts are concerned, it needs no recapitulation. These have to face a worst situation. More or less 2.5 million children have reportedly denied going to primary level schools.
They have accustomed to the child labors. Now a day the government is introducing a policy to send every child to school. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has comparatively taken very positive and quick steps in this regard. In the recently enrollment campaign thousands of school children aging between 4 and 5 years were get enrolled in the schools of different parts and regions of the province.
The aim and objective of the said program is to enhance the education and literacy ratio of the country.
All the people and stake holders concerning the education sector made collective efforts to get as many children enrolled in the school. It is indeed a noble cause to spread the rays of knowledge to every home and hut of our society.
However it is also worth mentioning that still in our rural and backward areas, the literacy ratio is at lower ebb as compared to the advanced and urban areas.
The main reason for such pathetic situation is the non availability of educational provisions and facilities in those areas. Particularly the lack of schools and teachers are posing threats and hurdles to our educational progress and development which have of in another words pushed the poverty stricken people into the abysmal depth of ignorance and backwardness.
According to the educational experts this vacuum can be filled up only by opening community schools in those areas on emergent basis. In this regard the forum of the department of Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation (ESEF) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can be best utilized and exploited to open more community schools in the backward and far flung areas of the province. At present more or less 2000 community schools are functioning under ESEF in about all the backward districts of the province and by its effective system of monitoring and supervision, the literacy ratio of the backward and neglected areas are improving to a considerable extent. Opening or settings up of the community schools have two main advantages. One the school can be started or opened on emergency or need bases with the help and collaboration of the specific community and second can produce desired and effective results at a very low cost. Therefore the government, international donor agencies like DFID are requested and invited to make prompt arrangements for the establishment of the said schools so that the goal to attain maximum literacy ratio might be realized in to practice.
As such survey for the identification of out of school children is also going in all the districts of the province under the elementary and secondary education foundation through education voucher scheme to enroll them in the nearby private schools. which will be very useful to increase the ratio of literacy and education especially in the backward areas. For this purpose the local community and parents should cooperate with the survey team to attain the desired results.
Then the language factor is also a big hurdle and issue for the successful functioning of our educational system. Apart from the Mother language, the national language, the textual language and the international language i.e. the English language has also to be learnt simultaneously by the child.
The course up to metric level is mostly taught in Urdu which abruptly changed in to English language at intermediate level or college level. Therefore it is required to impart education in only one language for the better and smooth learning and understanding of a child.
Similarly the lack of teaching staff and class rooms in most of the schools is also an added problem to be tackled by the relevant quarters. Often 80 to 120 students are accommodated in one class which is certainly difficult for a single teacher to manage and control the affairs of an overcrowded class of students at the same time. Due to this very problem the study of the students are also getting affected. Eventually when the children do not understand the lesson; the teacher interest also gets vanished in his students. Therefore it is necessary to make necessary arrangement to overcome this very chronic and crucial problems confronted by both the teachers and the student once and for all. The number of students must be from 25 to 30 per class. So that not only the students take interest in their class but the teacher could also be able teach them with much devotion and comfort.
Last but not the least the flawed system of examination prevailing upon for a very long time need to streamlined and overhauled. In all the government schools and colleges more or less 10 subjects are being taught to the students round the year. At the end of the year the students have to undergo examination within 10 to 15 days. A student whatever may be his capacity in the subject deemed to be failed and disqualified if he is unable to ensure his presence in the paper due to some reason or compulsion.
Thus his/her one precious academic year automatically gets wasted to this flawed system of examination. Therefore the annual system of examination needs to be converted in to semester system in the greater interest and benefits of the students. Moreover it is also suggested that objective types of examination system may be introduced if possible so that the ability of the students can be gouged in smooth way. To sum up it is necessary to bring about drastic changes in over all education system of our country.
If the existing problems were tackled and resolved in an effective and systemic manner then visible changes can be practically witnessed and realized in our education system. It is perhaps the only remedy to ensure effective and good governess in society.
