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Schools – a nightmare for every little child as soon as he starts understanding that he is alive. Parents start threatening their kids by telling them to behave well, otherwise, they’ll be sent to school, however, at any cost, the result always remains same, poor kids are sent to school at the end. Let’s shed some light on the worldly prospect of schools before jumping to a conclusion.
When we scratch the topic school, the very first thing that pops up in mind is a place which provides education. Digging a bit deeper we get to know what education is, we find a quote, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of education” – Anonymous. But what about knowledge? We’ll see that later.
In our society, it will be no wrong if we say that school is a name of the business. Providing some cheesy names to ordinary stuff, taking heavy monthly fees along with some extra charges which sound totally imbecile. Hiring teachers on relatively low salary and guess what happens in the end? The rest of money goes straight into the bank accounts. A business where even money is not circulated well. The materialistic approach of our people has no limit. Introducing new fancy equipment such as latest computer systems and an introduction of some events are the investment for the businessmen, running to what they call school so that they can get more admission whose future can again be darkened.
It is worth thinking that how parents pay high fees without considering it logically. Whenever schools are asked that what they provide, they come up with a very clever answer. These include good teachers they hire but unfortunately, those teachers prefer staying back home. Provision of a good infrastructure is one of the aspects of good mental and physical health of students which is directly reflected by good results. The school which follows this stands out, however, there is some school which has a sophisticated looking front of the building which hides the small, cage looking classes at the back. Learning is not confined to books. We learn a lot when we play. Schools do provide intellectual learning material that remains locked behind the Principal’s desk.
Classroom: Expectations vs. Reality
It is said that there is a boundary for everything just like a country is confined within borders, follows specific regulations, having a philosophy on which the whole system works. In the same way, the school provides more than its boundary. One of the major reason for this is that our country does not have a philosophy to work on. Our aims are even worst then a sailing boat which at least moves in the direction of the wind. People from every age group, race is confused. Due to this lack of philosophy, our national educational boards are still lingering on last syllabi update in late 90’s. The real face of this situation is even worse when I’ll focus on two standard system i.e. English medium and Urdu medium standards within National Educational Board.
Pakistan has various national educational boards as well, naming, Agha Khan Board, Sindh Board, Federal Board, and God knows better which board is left. This becomes a weakness which has allowed other International Educational Systems to sow their seeds in Pakistan which up till now have become a full-grown tree. The result is in front of us. Every board is trying to increase its market demand due to competition for which they try to raise the standard. The only meaning of raising the standard to these people is by increasing the difficulty level. School nowadays are fancy places which are providing extra education in form of extra subjects. If we count, how many subjects have you studied in your 10 years of school life, which will help you in your profession?
Currently, Cambridge International Examinations are earning millions from Pakistan. Parents are paying high examination fees, still, students doing their O/A levels are not accepted in the society by labeling them as ‘modern people with vanity’. Thanks to our government who tried its level best to make the education system even more pathetic. Some top-notch schools have now worked the IB system. What are they doing? New system to super confuse our people who are already confused?
Frankly, it seems to me that our government is intentionally depriving their people of education, fearing that it may open their eyes due to which they will no longer be able to earn from the country and invest the money in their offshore companies and nurturing their generation.
Schools are providing too much education. They must have been providing knowledge instead. Knowledge includes experiences through which child learns how to lead his way of living and knows exactly how to apply the learned knowledge. Honestly, education nowadays is an expensive product which everyone wants to buy and just increase their standard regardless of how to use it. This reminds me of a quote by Sakuntala Devi “Education is not going to school and getting a degree. It’s about widening your knowledge and absorbing the truth of life” How close our schools are to this saying? Zero.
The purpose of things remains same, they should show advancement generation by generation. The same goes for the purpose of schools, but instead of advancements, it is going backward. The latest survey is evident about it. Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa declined in literacy rate from 64 percent to 59 percent and 54 percent to 53 percent respectively. Baluchistan has witnessed a significant decline from 39 percent to 33 percent, however, Sindh has maintained it’s percentage in 2013-14 to 2015-16.
In past centuries, great scholars like Ibn-e-Battuta and Marco Polo were sent to specific teachers as a child in order to get knowledge of a specific subject. Nowadays schools are providing way too much information i-e facts and figure which disabled students to think from his own mind. It will not be wrong if I call that schools are the factory of manufacturing human robot. Those people used to travel, unlike, sitting in the classroom and receiving overwhelming information. “What makes child gifted and talented may not be the good grades, but, the different way of loading at the world and leaving.” ~Chuck Grassley. Sadly, if a person looks or thinks something out of the box, they are viewed as a great sinner.
Discipline is something which shows how good you are with your behavior and punctuality. Getting education is no big deal but leaving discipline is something highly disregarded. We humans have strange nature. We think extremism is always something good! Same goes to school who are making children over-disciplined. Teaching uniformity in conduct. Taking care of punctuality and expecting student follow it one way or another without questioning. I still wonder, why don’t we start using robots, I mean they are much easier to be programmed.
According to a survey, the average high school student today has the same level anxiety as the psychiatric patient in early 1950’s. See this is also too much. The students are blessed with the gift of grading system by schools, which they have to achieve that rank. It is said “Grades don’t measure intelligence” but still whenever we hear that someone has failed, the first thing that hits our mind in most of the cases is that the child must be dumb.
Thanks to school, who has introduced this level, making our guardians hold high expectation in grades from us. As result, students are bound to study hard even if it is impossible and in this way, they are pushed in dark world of anxiety.
Even after knowing all these facts, some people are still in favor of this Education System. According to their perspective, if a two-year-old knows how to wake up early at seven without crying and hanging 10 kg of the bag on little shoulders, they are getting an education. I am like, really? Instead, if they argue with these points that schools make children socially compassionate, they learn how to get along with different people, adult or young ones, strangers belonging from different races, religion, casts, families, nature. This creates room for acceptability for others and teaches them to help everyone, then we would have somewhat agreed.
I beg governmental bodies not to consider ‘sky is the limit’ for damages they are doing to educational systems. First things first. The whole education system must be demolished and then redesigned with a core philosophy. Introduce uniform policies with only one standard education system under Supreme Court so that corruption can also be reduced in the board. Every country in UN have same board of education then why can’t we have that? Our leaders remember Article 62 and 63 but have skipped others before them, although we also have Article 26-a, which talks about equality in the provision of education for everyone up till intermediate. Article 26-a is needed to be implemented.
An Alumni or an educational representative must be set up in the National Assembly representing each board of education. Moreover, a separate youth assembly should be formed so that problems faced by youth can be presented first hand.
Sorry leaders, you have run out of your lame reasoning. No more excuses. We have the policy, we have policymakers, funds (if utilized for a country only), and all you need to do is take a step. If I can come up with the solution being a student, then why can’t you when you have authority? You’ll be questioned.
