Shura Hamdard calls for uniformed education system, military-style training of teachers

Karachi (HRNW)-  Members of the Shura Hamdard Karachi raised number of education related issues and presented their suggestions in a monthly meeting held at Hamdard Corporate Head Office on the topic “Our education system and ever-changing global horizons” presided by Justice (R) Haziq-al-Khairi, yesterday. Prominent journalist and an education expert Zubaida Mustafa was invited as a chief guest to share her thoughts on this important topic.
Zubaida Mustafa while expressing her views said educational issues should have the highest priorities and there should be a greater emphasis on girls’ education because only an educated woman could have a deeper positive impact on the society. She said “The ground reality is very alarming as there are approximately 23 million children who are not attending the school.” Moreover the statistics are not accurate given the fact that the data collecting mechanism has not been modernized.
Dr. Riswana Ansari said “Majority of government schools in Sindh are in deplorable state. Incapable teachers are the biggest hurdle in educating children; they instill fear in child thus hurting his/her learning abilities greatly. She said there should be military-style training for teachers in order to discipline them. Schools should be strictly monitored to raise standard of education as well as teachers’ behavior. Moreover government should have one uniformed educational system for whole country.
Anwar-ul-Haq Siddiqui said basic education should be the top agenda for reforms in educational sector. According to him around 91 pc of government schools in Sindh are primary that is why there is major dropout ratio in Sindh. “Children have no other option but to give up education as there are no middle or higher educational schools available for them,” he said. Anwar also said the quality of education was getting lowered due to lack of monitoring and if such trend continued there might be a time when international community would discredit all of country’s degrees and certificates.
Prof. Muhammad Rafi said “We have to be transparent before formulating basic education policy. Character-building and creativity should be in main focus along with education. He highlighted the importance of information technology and said that technologies were upgrading with rapid pace. “In order to create an efficient technological advanced workforce, we have to have greater technology use in education and technical education should be given to children at a young age so that they can evaluate the practical application of their studies,” he suggested.
Commodore ® Sadeed Anwar Malik said uniformed single curriculum all over Pakistan would reduce the prevailing ethnic, religious and social discriminations, bias and prejudice. While speaking on the marginalized children of Madaris he said “Madaris children do not have enough opportunities to explore therefore should be part of mainstream and single curriculum which will help boost their potential and competitiveness. He said cheating in education is disturbingly high. A strict action is needed and those involved in heinous crime should face severe consequences.
Col. Mukhtar Ahmed Butt highlighted different issues and said “Education is a service not a business. Government should discourage this corporate shape of education. Corruption is rampant in education sector. Institutes are involved in selling degrees. Ghost teacher is a common phenomenon all over Sindh.” He said Government spending on education was 2 pc of the GDP which was lowest in the region. “Major portion of this 2pc goes as salary expanse of teachers and department is left with little funds to establish new schools and increase facilities in all schools,” he said.
Other speakers including Ibn-ul-Hassan Rizvi, Usman Damohi, Dr. khalida Ghous, Dr. Amjad Ali Jafri, Brig ® Riaz-ul-Haq, Dr. Tanvir Khalid and Shamim Kazmi also spoke on the occasion and shared their valuable thoughts.