EDUCATION --- The only way out

By Umer Amir Khan

 (Maverick Wu)

The news of recent "˜dargaee', malakand suicide bombing was not only a great shock for the whole nation, but another proof of inadequacy of the leadership and the politicians of Pakistan. No matter whatever is said, whatever is written, the disgrace every suicide bomber brings to muslim umma cannot be expressed in words. We all listen to these stories with shock, and often wonder who are these people? What makes them blow themselves into pieces on the name of Islam, when suicide is strictly forbidden in Islam? They are people like you and me but they are being exploited and used for acquisitive and narcissistic aims.

The term often used for these suicide bombers is "brain washed". We have often heard this phrase, "these people are brain washed by extremist religious elements". Yes, they are brain washed, but how can anyone brain wash a grown-up man. It is only possible when there is very less to wash. Human brain is like a universe. But without the light of knowledge, it remains a small dark box. It is these uneducated individuals, who lack knowledge and are innocent in many ways. They are targeted by brain washers who find it easy to convince them to take radical measures like suicide bombings. Most of them lack the true knowledge of Islam and its message. Thus the root of this problem, like most of the problems in our country and the whole muslim world, lies in the education system that is being followed.

It is so painful to accept that education, the fuel of any development, has been the least priority of the leadership that has ruled this country. The masses are kept in dark, there wealth is plundered and they are again and again deceived, to this day. Landlords, military generals, industrialists, bureaucrats and despondently the so called Ulemas, have despoiled the masses again and again and have dispirited them as a whole. All came in power as saviors, having different strategies to ravage, but one thing that has been common amongst them; is to "keep the education out of reach of the common people". Everybody knows that an educated man is powerful enough to topple any power that is trying to suppress him.

Neither huge armies nor gold and silver have changed the destinies of nations. It has always been and it will always be education. Regrettably, in our country this key element of development has never been given the due respect that it deserves. Now when the results of this negligence are emerging, with increasing street crimes, corruption in every governmental institution, degradation of moral and social values of citizens, prostitution, drugs, miserable living conditions and now epidemics like dengue, the leadership of our country is trying to hide between extremist groups, foreign elements (surprisingly we are not hearing name of RAW for sometime now). There is one thread flowing through all these problems and tracing this thread leads us to one thing, and that is lack of proper education. Yes, lack of proper education is the root cause of every problem that we are facing. Accept it or deny it.

Presently, in Pakistan we have four education mediums working. Urdu medium, English Medium, Madrassah medium and Cambridge system are pillars of our education system. Let's take a look at these pillars. Cambridge system is a system for elite. It is the system that is, in most cases, accessible to the over privileged lot of our country. I have no reservations with those who are studying in this system. I consider Cambridge system very efficacious and those Pakistanis who pass this system are really hard workers. But my objection is, why only rich kids get the opportunity to acquire good education when good education is the basic right of every Pakistani? When a rich man's child can get modern and useful education, then why a hard working Pakistani's, who is working day and night to make the ends meet, his child has to study in pathetic conditions, with outdated books and unqualified teachers. Cambridge students are not to be blamed but those in authority have to be blamed.

This was the foreign system of education, a reminiscence of colonial era. Let's look at the three systems we are following that are formed after arduous efforts of Ministry of Education. The general trend followed by the public in Pakistan is that English Medium and Urdu Medium are for those whose parents can afford their education expenditures and Madrassah system for those who have no parents or parents cannot afford it. This trend itself is unthinkably shameful. English Medium and Urdu medium students, following wrong practices such as mugging notes, confining themselves to outdated text books and never attaining the skills to explore one's true potential, turn out to be weak citizens. A Citizen, who is easily whipped and filched by a dictator, a government official, a police man or a grocery store trader.  He is a man, who is watching bombs exploding in mosques, observing countrymen fighting with each other, witnessing corruption creeping down in every walk of life. He is standing there and telling himself, "this is what life is like", or "Nothing can be done".

The educated lot of this education system has no urge to improve it. No desire to make his country a better place. If there is some desire he lacks the power that an intellectual must have to revolt against injustices he is facing every day. Than there are considerable number of those people who leave education due to poverty, inhumane treatment at schools or colleges and lack of adequate teaching facilities. This number is not small. Lastly there are large numbers of those who never get to go to schools. I am dumb struck when I meet someone in twenty first century who cannot even read his name. Let me remind you, there is no shortage of complete illiterates in our country.

Than comes the Madrassah system. Let's go back into the history of "˜Dars Nizamee'. A system based on the principal of "TAJDEED", meaning to follow, instead of "TEHQEEQ", meaning to discover and investigate, is a padlock on many bright brains of Pakistan. The breeding ground for one sided thinking individuals, who have been used by the Americans against Russia, by Pakistanis against India and now self proclaimed leaders of Islam are using them against there own people. They are the worst victims of the inadequacy of education system in Pakistan. They are being duped on the name of religion. Depriving them from modern education, there hands are tied, and they cannot compete in any other field other than religion. This results in sectarian violence and self proclaimed jihads that affect the whole image of Islam in particular, and every muslim in general.

To sum up, the four pillars of our education system are dividing this nation and wasting immense potential. A nation that can have three EIDs for a single Ramadan, is in serious need to be unified. This can only be achieved through a single, modern education system that can prepare individuals who are well versed in religious knowledge as well as modern scientific and technological needs. They are confident enough to walk into any field of life and achieve excellence in it. They can portray the true image of Islam in Science, Technology, Business, Banking, Education, Politics, Journalism etc This can only be achieved when the government will accept the reality that lack of education is the root cause of every evil in our society and will make "Educational Policy" its primary concern. A new policy should be formulated with the help of local as well as foreign intellectuals, to bring an educational revolution in country. We seriously need an educational revolution because, by every passing day, things in our country are getting worse instead of getting better. Don't blindly believe on what government keeps on telling that Pakistan is on its way towards prosperity, it is not. This is the word from street, the real Pakistan.

The second point related to education that I would like to talk about is the trend of Book reading in Pakistan. Unfortunately, we are the nation who simply does not love books. It is said; a good book can change your life forever. It is through book that Allah communicated to his creation directly. It is this book that can hold wisdom, intellect, skill and way of truth in one place. For centuries, wise have communicated to the masses through this medium and the wise will keep on communicating through it. Books help you rediscover yourself. How many of us are in the habit of reading books? How many of us read books, search good books and ever think of discovering the beautiful world that books have to offer? We always try to compare ourselves with India. Look where they are standing in Book Culture. With numerous Indian writers being recognized internationally, the Book culture in India is at its boom. Keran desai, winning Book Mann award, is one example of what India has started to produce, Intellectuals. Even Pakistani universities prefer to teach books written by Indian authors in the field of Engineering, Medical Sciences, and Management etc

Firstly, most of us don't like reading books; secondly those who like reading books cannot afford them. Good books are an expensive commodity, only affordable to those who have the money to buy them. I belong to a mediocre family. I can only walk down the ally of expensive bookshops, watching and craving for the world that ornate bookshelves. Unfortunately the elite can pick those jewels. Yes Sir, a normal Pakistani cannot afford a good book, and he prefers a Rs 60 DVD for entertainment or Rs 30 Games Cd for his child as a gift. Eventually, I turn to Urdu bazaar. The old famous Urdu Bazaar replicates a fish market. Book traders and shopkeepers, sitting on piles of books and surrounded by hundreds of tomes, sell them, as they are raw fish, or a grocery item. The shopkeeper has not the slightest of idea what he is selling, and the buyer is buying it only because if he will not, he will flunk in exam. With this morale, how can thinkers and intellects from all walks of life, come in front, contribute, and bring awareness among the masses. How will we know what it feels like to grow up with no shoes in our feet; drinking dirty water and having no food for days, when there is no one to tell us?

Government should take immediate steps to do something about this. Appreciable amount of money should be invested in publishing and distributing section. The government should start with establishing printing presses that are government sponsored. They should print low price editions of expensive books. Proper book shops should be opened all over the country. Book Culture should be promoted by holding various types of competitions, such as quizzes and essay competitions related to famous books, awarding handsome cash prices to the winners and giving them coverage over media so youngsters and people from all walks of life are encouraged to participate. Good books shall be distributed in schools and colleges for free. Public Libraries should be established everywhere. Mobile libraries should go to rural areas. New writers should be promoted and encouraged. If steps are not taken immediately, to bring back to life the book culture that was once the pride of muslims, the things will keep on getting worse and worse. I hope our literate graduate assembly can do something about it.

There are number of other steps that government should take including improving the physical condition of educational institutions, providing them with necessary facilities that is the basic right of every Pakistani children. A Pakistani is paying taxes not for the life of comfort the elite enjoys, but for the basic necessities that is his right. Special workshops should be organized for the training of the teaching staff. Ghost schools should be taken care of. A proper research should be carried out about the system of education in the developed world and how it is so successful. In the light of that research, a novel and modish system should be implemented in Pakistan. For the front line country on the fight against terror, the only muslim nuclear power, producer of Agosta class submarines and Al Kahlid tanks, I think it is time to concentrate a little bit on educating masses and improving their life standards.

About the Author: Author is a freelance contributor and his pen name is Maverick Wu. He is an engineer and he is currently studying at University of LIFE, PK. Comments are welcomed at umer-amir@hotmail.com