abdulbarijan
PDF THINK TANK: ANALYST
- Joined
- May 15, 2010
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Remember the days from 7th, 8th grade onward? The time where parents become stricter and the kids start to rebel. Everyday is a struggle where the routine is to wake up, go to school, come back and be lectured all day by the parents / relatives about how we're not "working hard enough". Every auntie and uncle who knows your approaching your board exams / O levels is busy suggesting the parents an academy where "they make students work hard". There is a whole debate regarding which education system is better? (O/A-levels compared to Matric/F.A/F.S.C). Even those cousins who've barely passed those examinations chime in and be the hands on experts as to how a student needs to navigate through these turbulent academic times.
While alot can be said about forcing education down our children's throats instead of making it a fun and interesting activity, however that is not the topic for today. As life passes and one gets older, you come to realize the point of view of the parents. You realize that while education was not made fun and interesting, however under the system that we have there is no option other then to get a decent education, otherwise your options are very limited. Therefore we see academies and tuition centers which force our children to learn in a way that is (to be fair) animal-esc. Just go to youtube and you can find a bunch of videos where children are being beaten for being late or not doing their homework etc.
The reasoning for stooping to this level of force fed education is also quite convincing. Consider the statistics where Pakistan's total adult literacy rate according to UNICEF is a mere 54.9% (for 2008-2012). According to a report by thenews.pk quoting "Unemployment rate in Pakistan during the present government is the highest in the last 13 years." Similarly according to a report by UNDP " 4 out of 10 Pakistani's live in Multi-dimensional poverty." Add to that, the per capita income of a Pakistani is $1,513 per year (PKR 13,216 per month) (as of 2015, per a report by the express tribune)
While people might not be aware of such statistics however, everyone knows the generic reality that we live in, which is why forcing education down our children's throats by any means necessary is considered acceptable. As you hear from parents, relatives and teachers alike " It is for your own good" or "It is for your good future". However this reasoning is based upon a presumption i.e.
"Education for students, especially for students who perform well --- will get them better jobs, by extension better pay and ultimately a better life"
Considering practices like nepotism etc. we can raise some questions on that presumption as well. Consider a report by thenews.pk which states that " the educated class is more than twice jobless as compared to the illiterate, the Institute for Policy Reform (IPR) claims quoting the recently released government’s Labour Force Survey 2014-15."
So the question now becomes ... Can our academic achievements especially our academic performance have anything to do with the wages/benefits we earn.
While alot can be said about forcing education down our children's throats instead of making it a fun and interesting activity, however that is not the topic for today. As life passes and one gets older, you come to realize the point of view of the parents. You realize that while education was not made fun and interesting, however under the system that we have there is no option other then to get a decent education, otherwise your options are very limited. Therefore we see academies and tuition centers which force our children to learn in a way that is (to be fair) animal-esc. Just go to youtube and you can find a bunch of videos where children are being beaten for being late or not doing their homework etc.
The reasoning for stooping to this level of force fed education is also quite convincing. Consider the statistics where Pakistan's total adult literacy rate according to UNICEF is a mere 54.9% (for 2008-2012). According to a report by thenews.pk quoting "Unemployment rate in Pakistan during the present government is the highest in the last 13 years." Similarly according to a report by UNDP " 4 out of 10 Pakistani's live in Multi-dimensional poverty." Add to that, the per capita income of a Pakistani is $1,513 per year (PKR 13,216 per month) (as of 2015, per a report by the express tribune)
While people might not be aware of such statistics however, everyone knows the generic reality that we live in, which is why forcing education down our children's throats by any means necessary is considered acceptable. As you hear from parents, relatives and teachers alike " It is for your own good" or "It is for your good future". However this reasoning is based upon a presumption i.e.
"Education for students, especially for students who perform well --- will get them better jobs, by extension better pay and ultimately a better life"
Considering practices like nepotism etc. we can raise some questions on that presumption as well. Consider a report by thenews.pk which states that " the educated class is more than twice jobless as compared to the illiterate, the Institute for Policy Reform (IPR) claims quoting the recently released government’s Labour Force Survey 2014-15."
So the question now becomes ... Can our academic achievements especially our academic performance have anything to do with the wages/benefits we earn.
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