By Fozia
Naseem
Key words;
Pakistan education system, Multiplicity of Educational Systems in Pakistan,
Public Education System, Private Education System, Madrasah
Education
Unequal
System of Education in Pakistan
Pakistan
education system
In
Pakistan there we have different types of school education systems; madrassas, public
schools and private schools, They are divided by the medium of instruction, the
type of subject taught, and level, whether located in rural or urban areas and,
above all, whether they cater for rich, the middle classes or the poor.
More
ever, these unequal institutions also create different world views. We share
the same geographical location but not the same world view, which increases the
possibility of conflict in our society and makes it prone to violence. This is
an important argument against the continuation of our present education system,
which is unjust, class-oriented and alienates people from each other and from
the state. In its place what is required is a uniform system of education.
According to Isani and Virk (2005), "the nation is divided because we are
running multiple systems of education”.
Multiplicity of Educational Systems in Pakistan
·
Today
our multiple tier education system can be highlighted in the following
categories:
Public
Education System:
·
State
provides a system where education is offered in students' mother tongue;
besides Urdu as a national language, and English as a foreign language taught.
Minimum school fee is very low as not all people can afford hence only those
send their children to public schools.
Private
Education System:
·
Entrepreneurs
who wish to bring reforms in education sector have open their schools and
colleges. These private schools are English Medium schools, where students pay
high amount as school fee that could range between Rs. 500 and 1, 00000 per
month.
·
The
quality of education is very uneven with most of these so-called English
–medium schools than the elitist British system schools do. However, there is
evidence that they are popular with parents because some of these schools have
better text books, the rate of absenteeism of teachers is less, and teachers
invest more time and energy on students than their counterparts in the
government sector- even if they are not qualified in terms of degrees and
certificate to provide quality education.
Cambridge
Education System:
·
This
foreign education system is exclusively for the children of very rich so that
they can go abroad after graduation for higher education
Madrasah Education:
·
Side
by side with modern education system there is also religious education system,
which provides Islamic education. However, the result of this education is not
satisfactory. Except for few Madrasah
who do provide a true Islamic Education. Now government is trying to stream
line the system of education in Madrasah by registration them and incorporating
some new subjects. Currently there are
more than 10,000 madrasahs teaching more than two million school children.
With
the colossal differences in the above educational systems, one should think the
kind of students it breeds. For instance, the Public Education System caters to
common masses hence produces clerks who serve the Public office and
bureaucracy. On the other hand, Cambridge Education System reaches to rich
established people hence produces elites who either become entrepreneurs or
travel to develop countries for higher education and ultimately settled there.
Students
who opt for Private Education systems aspire for the excellence. Despite the
indefinite struggle, they do not succeed entirely hence keep switching their
roles to prove themselves.
Suggestions
·
There
is no doubt that the current education system in Pakistan is an absolute mess.
Only the very elite folks can afford to send their kids to the top private
schools which are the only source for decent education. The condition of the
universities and colleges is even worse as there are quite limited
opportunities for the students to prosper. Far too much talent is being lost
and potentially bright students are going on the wrong track.
Few suggestions are
as follows that could be implemented gradually
·
*It is indeed very important to bring
reforms in education, which eliminates differences and class system and
inculcates self-understanding and analysis.
·
*In a unified Pakistan, there has to be
one tire education system for all the children of Pakistan will lead us to
Unity, Faith and Discipline. . In this way, the colossal difference among
students from different systems would minimize.
·
Improve
government schools up to the standard of private schools levels that will encouragement
people to send their kids government schools.
·
The
most immediate action would be to create a one tier system of education, one
curriculum for public and private schools, experience and qualified teachers in
public schools.
·
Urdu
as medium of instruction and examination will encourage parents to send their children
to public schools and will discourage private English medium schools and Cambridge
system of education in Pakistan.
·
The
government must eliminate, or at least reduce the poverty in so that the very
poor students go to public schools instead of unregistered madrassas.
·
Made
it mandatory for bureaucracy, politicians and teachers to send their children
to public schools as result these will give their due attention to public
education system.
·
Single
integrated education system has to be established, for that we need minds of
our best, from educationist to engineers, doctor, scientist, marketers,
financiers, lawyers, all pooled together on one table to establish a single
curriculum, unified from grade 1-10.Once the system is in place, the next stage
will be to bring the existing government schools in compliance with the new
tier system of education.
·
The
curriculum of dinini Madris is also being brought in line with the requirement
of modern times. Subjects of English, Math, and General science are being added
to their purely religious items to wider their scope of the employment. It has
been decided to introduce uniform syllabus for all stages of education in the
country for all schools and colleges in both public and private.
·
Another
implication of curriculum revamping would lead to practical activities,
research activities and presentation of ideas etc. and relating it with
students where s/he extracts the information and interprets as s/he understand
and develop the confidence to question idea, text etc., as nothing is sacred
hence students will find themselves as lifelong learners.
·
Revisiting
our examination system will be critical and with summative exams, it is
suggested to follow formative assessment that will enable teachers to develop
individual relation with each student and help him/her develop smoothly.
Providing constructive feedback can also make learners concentrate in their
work efficiently and would improve further.
·
Training
of teachers, faculty and caregivers is essential as well, because they are
catalyst to bring any transformation, as it is said "Teachers are
Leaders" therefore teachers training regarding instructional pedagogy and
awareness about student's psychology is important for them.
·
In short we must ensure that all students are
given an equal and fair chance to compete with others in life. This is only
possible if all schools are given the same curricula and more or less the same
kind of teachers.
Bibliography
Iqbal.M,
2001, Education in Pakistan, Aziz publisher Lahore.
Standard
education System in Pakistan,N.D Pakistan Coalition for Education, National
Secretariat, Islamabad
References 
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