By Irfanullah
Ever since I came to know that our college was going to publish its annual magazine, I had been pondering over different topics to write about. And finally my mind squared with my heart on something that I have been attached with for the last 11 years i.e education. I have borrowed the above title ‘Of Studies’ from one of my favourite prose writer: Francis Bacon. My favoritism doesn’t rest upon the meanness or selfishness that his essays display ; rather it’s the aphorism which he employs in his essays. Before that i am accused of digression i come straight to the point. The article would deal with the education, students and we the teaching fraternity. Though its an open topic and many have tried their heads upon it , yet i believe that it would help the students and the teachers alike.
Among the myriad problems of our education that needs to be tackled, one is ROT LEARNING and CRAMMING. Students usually resort to rot learning because of the language in which they are either taught or their texts books are written. And in our case its English: a foreign language. I can recall a personal experience when i was once in my 9th class Chemistry test awarded 10/10. Topic was solvey process, and as I had crammed it, i still don’t know what actually solvey process is.
There are two ways to tackle the rot learning problem. First is the use of mother tongue as medium of instruction. But currently it seems a pipe dream. And the second is that if detachment of English from our education os not possible then steps should be taken that would help students achieve proficiency in English language. A translated urdu versions of each subject would also help students in understanding the basic concept. And once students are able to express themselves in English they would stop resorting to rot learning. Settling the above problem would not set things right in education sector unless and until their are concrete reforms related to curricula , teaching, examination and assessment.
Normally we import most of the material for our curricula from the western countries . But it would not work unless there is teaching faculty that is well qualified and well trained. For that purpose periodical training for the teaching faculty must be ensured. And to complement the updated curricula and qualified and trained staff, transparent examination system,where there is a big ‘NO’ to the use of unfair means, is needed. Crackdown on the cheating material publishers , along with the paper setting that tests not only the knowledge but the creativity , would be a step in the right direction. And the next in line is assessment that is fair and external, unlike the one introduced in BS system which is totally internal. External assessment would discourage the prevalent sifarish system and it would ensure that the deserving students get what they truly deserve.
But can we achieve the main purpose of education, i.e making students good citizens , if the above conditions are met. The answer is ‘NO’. Such desired objective can only be achieved if the imparting of knowledge is complemented by the important and often neglected part of education i.e character building. Responsibility here falls on teachers. They must become role models for the students and inculcate in their minds honesty, truth, discipline and kindness that would help weld the society and make our country a worth living place. Though it may sound utopian , but i hope that our young generation if equipped with education and good character can do wonders and can make Pakistan a country its founders dreamt of back in 1947.
