Declining Education Standards
(English Essay – CSS & PMS)
Outline
- Introduction
- Causes Behind the Decline
- Lack of Independent Thinking
- Teacher Incompetence and Conceptual Weakness
- Reading Habit Crisis
- English Language Barrier
- Need for National Language Reform
- Curriculum Reform and Examinations
- Governance and Institutional Failure
- Budget Allocation and National Policy
- Conclusion
Introduction
There are different types of crises gripping the nation at present. One of the severest crises is that of education, as reflected in lamentably low standards. The results announced in the public examinations at different levels reveal a low pass percentage, indicating a high level of inefficiency in the utilisation of various educational inputs at different tiers of education. Apart from the wastage of resources, the low standard of education is worrisome. There are causes contributing to this phenomenon, which need a brief analysis here.
Causes Behind the Decline
Declining standard of education is a complicated phenomenon. It is the result of many factors — some academic, others non-academic. It cannot be attributed to a few causes since it is a cumulative phenomenon. It is worth our while to deal firstly with the academic ones.
Lack of Independent Thinking
Our system of education does not promote independent thinking among students, as no effort is made to probe into: how, why, when, where aspects of knowledge. The fundamental concepts remain uncleared and that retards initiative and mental thinking on the part of students. The western education system promotes the above referred whys, hows and goes a long way to inculcate rational mode of thinking among the students. The private schools like Beacon House System, English Grammar and City Schools impart education on the pattern of the western education resting on the above-referred values: Students are thus armed with logic to argue for and against things. That stimulates mental growth of students. The public-managed schools pay a little attention to this aspect and students remain mired in cramming, which is thought to be anti-intelligence in character. Hence if the objective is to raise and upgrade the level of education in Pakistan, particular attention will have to be paid to this aspect. Needless to say that teacher’s own concepts invariably lack in clarity at the secondary / college levels and are characterised by an element of vagueness.
Teacher Incompetence and Conceptual Weakness
When teacher’s own concepts are not clear, they will not be able to remove fog around the concepts at the time of teaching and students would suffer in developing proper understanding of concepts. These are teachers who are clear headed, imparting clear headedness to their pupils, do a great service to students. I don’t deny the existence of teachers who wish to promote clarity of thought among their pupils based on their fresh knowledge.
Reading Habit Crisis
Another factor that leads to constricting mental growth is the lack of reading habit on the part of students. Only a few students visit libraries in their vacant hours to read newspapers and books. Some borrow books for reading from the college libraries. Those who develop the habit of reading do well in life, especially in the competitive examinations. Most of the students do not like to read the novels, short stories, poetry books in original. They resort to reading of guides, help-notes to pass the examination. Their knowledge is superficial at the most, as they remain ignorant of the original references. If the idea is to upgrade the quality of education, then reading habit must be developed at the college/university levels of education. Teachers themselves should act as role models in this behalf and inspire students to read extensively to enrich their mind critically.
English Language Barrier
English are the Achilles’ heels of students in Pakistan, since it is not their mother tongue. English is a foreign language which has to be learnt by the students as all modern literature, especially in the field of physical sciences like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Botany, Zoology, is in English. All modern researches are done in English, which are to be picked up by Pakistani students to carry on their studies and researches.
Need for National Language Reform
Other independent nations like France, China, Japan imparts instruction even at higher level in their own languages. The modern literature reflecting new researches in English is proliferated into these countries, which is translated immediately into the national languages. There are satisfactory arrangements to render foreign literature to the national languages. The latter get enriched and the process of research continues in the medium of national languages. Conditions in Pakistan are totally different. No serious effort has been made to develop Urdu language, which could answer all our problems. English is regarded as a status symbol by the elite classes, comprising the bureaucracy in the higher echelon, landed element and the industrialist.
Curriculum Reform and Examinations
The syllabi need periodic revision in all subjects. After every five years the syllabi be changed and revised to bring them in conformity with the international standard. The introduction of MCQs is a good device to test the learning of students. It encourages comprehensiveness and discourages fragmentary learning.
Governance and Institutional Failure
The Booty Mafia needs to curb relentlessly. It should be dealt with an iron hand. The need is to preserve the sanctity of degrees and certificates awarded to the candidates. The provincial governments need the political will to handle the scourge through pragmatic planning of the Boards and Universities. The idea is to control the use of unfair means in the Inter/degree/postgraduate examinations.
Budget Allocation and National Policy
Our government should show the will to spare the budgetary resources for the development of education at different tiers. The National Education Policy, 2009, shows its resolve to earmark 7% of GDP to the national education. It’s a good resolve, but keeping in view of the past performance, one becomes doubtful if the objective could be realised.
Conclusion
The need of the time is to allocate the highest percentage of GDP to education to facilitate the process of human capital formation and to raise the level of research and development to benefit from the modern technology. Upgradation of the level of education holds a key to the national success. There is an impelling need to upgrade quality of education, especially in public-managed schools and colleges in the country. The establishment of ‘Danish Schools’ in the Punjab appears to be a right step in the right direction.
