Educational Crisis in Pakistan

According to Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” To begin with this most famous quote, I believe that education cannot only be measured based on degrees, grades, or our academic excellence, but it helps us to think critically and solve our daily life problems through rational thinking and wise decisions. Although education provides us with a broad platform where we can learn, rethink, and re-establish the lost norms and manners that are quintessential for our survival in such a chaotic world. More significantly, in our country, the education system is not up to the mark. I am not revealing the loopholes of my country, but it is worth mentioning that our education system does not help us in the market where skills matter a lot.

The state of schooling in Pakistan

Schooling is the basic education that not only helps students to make their foundations strong but also helps them to excel more remarkably in the future. Here I will uncover my story from when I was a child of seven years. The bundle of books, with an empty mind and dreamy eyes to study in the city, was palpable through my personality. The teaching methodology of teachers was also not commendable because they did not have a high qualification.

I remember one of my past years when I was practicing English tenses and I had no one at my home to whom I asked questions. The next day, I asked a plethora of questions to my teacher, but she was unable to answer them. This is tantamount to saying that I was only cramming English language. My reason for narrating my story is not to criticize my teacher but to highlight that the education of teachers is more important than students in a school or any institution. Writing with a depressed soul, I believe that thousands of people do not value the profession of teaching. I can firmly say that such a mentality has extreme ramifications. If a teacher is not highly educated or a subject specialist, students cannot excel in the modern world.

Women’s Education and Islam

Considering this context, it is pertinent to mention a research study in which it is explicitly mentioned that our country has one of the world’s lowest education expenditures, with only 2.8 percent of GDP dedicated to education in 2022. In this light, it shows that we are not concerned with getting knowledge and profound insights to live our purposeful lives. In the article, “Education in Pakistan: problems, challenges, and their solution,” [1] Amnah Umair posits that due to poverty, lack of facilities, and social concerns, children are unable to attend school, and this is an immense loss for our country. From her standpoint, I firmly agree with her notion based on observing the worst conditions of students at the school level. More specifically, one might argue that no one can claim that only highly qualified teachers can change the future of these children, but the basic resources are quintessential for the progress of children at the education level.

Paralleling with Literary Text

Similarly, analyzing the narrative in literary text, here I mention one of the most enthralling stories that is a great concern for the people of our country. In the book, Three Cups of Tea [2], the writers, Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, unfold the motivational saga in which Mortenson seems a hero of this book.   Mortenson was an enthusiastic mountain climber. When he arrived in Pakistan, he witnessed the conditions of people in Skardu. He was greatly impressed by the kind behavior of villagers. He sacrificed insurmountable problems in order to make schools especially for girls in Skardu. This remarkable example shows the perseverance of Mortenson because, despite receiving harsh criticism from different people, he remained determined to assist the people of Pakistan. Through this narrative, I believe that due to the dire conditions of schools in Pakistan, children are unable to get quality education, but if individual effort similar to Mortenson’s wise planning is done, the children of our country can also achieve success in the field of education.

Statistical data

According to the statistical data, it is pertinent to mention that the [3] Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) shows Pakistan’s bad performance by being ranked 129th of the 137 countries. Upon this standpoint, the comparison of the schooling system in Pakistan with other countries such as India, China, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia explicitly shows how the education system in these countries is a most important concern. Whereas, in Pakistan, I claim that the education system is taken for granted. No matter if people have empty skulls with empty souls, they do not bother themselves to get profound knowledge and strive to do something remarkable for their country.

Brain Drain in Pakistan: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions

TVET: A New Strategy for Children

In a Dawn Newspaper article entitled, Take School to Child,” Gulmina Bilal Ahmad raises a serious concern regarding the education of children. In her opinion, it is noticeable to unveil the critical education crisis in Pakistan. According to the statistical data, it can be believed that 22.8 million children aged five to 16 years are out of school. This is a grim picture of our country’s downfall. The reason is that if the children of our country are not provided with basic resources for getting an education, how will our country prosper? For this, I firmly believe that new creative and innovative techniques could create an effective impact on the lives of destitute children who are struggling due to lack of resources.

The research study reveals that hybrid technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is conducive to those children who want to work along with studies. However, I agree with this innovative startup considering the worsening educational crisis in Pakistan.  This kind of training provides children one of the best opportunities to hone their skills. This quintessential training not only helps them to improve their financial conditions but also helps them to boost their confidence. Through this, the conundrums of the worst educational crisis in Pakistan could be eliminated.

Paralleling with the classic novel Great Expectations

It is interesting to mention one of the most influential oeuvres of Charles Dickens that characterizes the story of Pip in a remarkable way. Analyzing the story of Pip, my own standpoint is to show some parallels of Pip’s life with the life of a common destitute child in Pakistan. To elaborate further, I agree with Viktor Shklovsky’s Art as Technique in which he mentions that the purpose of art is to show what is perceived, not what is known.

So upon his standpoint, I admire Dickens’ work in which the saga of Pip is a true embodiment of all those children who are battling with their lives. Due to a poor background, Pip suffers a lot in order to climb the social ladder. By examining his character, I posit that if Pip had been given opportunities, he would have received higher education, but due to dire conditions, he could not educate himself at his early age. Likewise, if children are not given opportunities or schooling at their early age, they can encounter daunting challenges in succeeding in life.

Suggestion

Firstly, we need to acknowledge that there are some loopholes in our education system, and we need to address these issues for the better future of our children. In this regard, I must say that the schooling system should be improved by providing highly qualified teachers, and basic resources to all children, and inculcating good habits in them. Additionally, job opportunities must be provided to destitute children and along with, that, they must be appreciated for their performance so that they can boost their confidence. Finally, teachers must focus on skills development among children so that they can easily get multiple opportunities in the future. In the end, I would say that everyone needs to do their job with integrity, discipline, and accountability. Without this, there is no chance of progress for our country.