“Educating Pakistan: Myths & Realities”

Focus Pakistan organized an interactive discussion on Wednesday, 18th January at Alhamra Hall III, Lahore on “Educating Pakistan: Myths & Realities”. The participants included former federal minister and vice-chancellor of Beaconhouse National University Sartaj Aziz, Chairman Mashal Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, Project Director of the Directorate of Staff Development Dr Rukhsana Zia, former Chief Secretary Javed Qureshi, President Professors and Lecturers Association Nazim Husnain, Dr. Gondal and Mr. Muhammad Zubair Pervez. The participants called for mainstreaming of seminaries providing religious education so that their students could contribute positively to the national development.

The President of FOCUS Pakistan, Dr. Muhammad Owais Farooqui is addressing the participants.

The seminar began with President Dr. Farooqui briefing about the state of affairs of the education sector. The panel of educationists shared their views on different aspects of the education. The first aspect discussed was the credibility of government claim that the country has 50 percent literacy rate. All the speakers were unanimous that it was wrong figure. The speakers maintained that the literacy rate of the country was not more than 20 to 28 percent.

They said the country was also featuring quite low at the human development index (HDI) among the countries of the world, adding the allocation of budget for different sectors and its utilization left a lot to be desired. The subjects like Pakistan Studies and Islamic Studies had been introduced to produce good Muslims and patriotic Pakistan but this purpose could not be achieved as per the vision, they said.

Mr. Javed Qureshi said Pakistan, India and China had almost the same literacy rate in 1947 but now China’s literacy rate is 85 percent while that of India is 65. “Education unfortunately was never priority of governments in the past. There was little investment in this sector and the results are before us,” he explained.

The system of administration and the bureaucrats’ attitude was also responsible for decline of education. Eminent physicist Dr Hoodbhoy said “The curriculum is not fit for 21st century. Text Book Boards monopoly should end. The teachers fail in their training courses; means they are not fit to teach and should not be allowed to do so.” Instead of three education systems in Pakistan; the seminar participants held that the country should have a uniform system of education.

Mr. Muhammad Zubair was of the view that it is duty of government to provide quality education. “I would say education system is class based. We are not building one nation.”

Dr Hoodbhoy said the madaris should be stopped from functioning, as they were not preparing the students for challenges of mainstream society. He said the madressah education was producing a particular mindset, which was dangerous for the country as it was impeding the progress of society. Teaching them English and science subjects will not help change their mindset. The seminaries’ students should be admitted to public schools. And a uniform syllabus should be introduced with no division on religious education. He stressed the need for establishing Islamic research institutions.

Dr. Rukhsana Zia was of the view that nation faced an identity crisis. Madaris in other countries have evolved with the time but that could not happen here. “We have to set our targets in education but for that we first need to finalize our priorities and the direction the nation should take,” she said.

Mr. Sartaj Aziz was of the view that Madressah education came into limelight during Afghan war, as some of their students took part in it. Painting their image as militants was not right. He added: “Emphasis of education all over the world is shifting from lectures to practically learning.”

The participants advocated the need to initiate joint struggle at all levels, involving the government and NGOs, to give education a form of movement to achieve the desired objectives.

There was a hot discussion about the religious education with some participants criticizing the educationists for questioning its purpose when they did not make a similar comment about other subjects. The seminar was well attended with a large proportion of youth as well as people from all walks of life.

The Panel and the Participants of the Conference.