|
Uniform, quality education stressed
ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: Access to quality education for all under a just
economic and democratic political system is the only way to rid the country of
poverty, destitution and terrorism.
This was stated at a 'citizens
consultation' jointly organised by the Strengthening Participatory Organisation
(SPO) and the Pakistan Coalition for Education (PCE) here on
Thursday.
The speakers resolved to explore the innate link between the
weakening of the social order, rise of religious militancy and lack of a proper
education system in the country.
Harris Khalique, chief executive SPO,
said when Pakistan turns 60 this year its citizens are going through a deep
sense of insecurity, hopelessness and social trauma due to internal and external
political situation, growing injustice against the poor, women and minorities,
and the absence of a credible system of education.
He said in stead of
criticising madressahs alone, the whole education system needed to be critically
looked at and then redesigned. He said the presence of numerous class-based and
conflicting systems of education was tantamount to fossilising the gruesome
class divide between the rich, the very rich, the poor and the very
poor.
Saqib Akbar, chairman Ukhuwat Academy, focused on the real and
perceived division between the worldly and religious education. He highlighted
the factors and reasons behind the increased enrolment in madressahs. He said
mostly the poor sent their children to such places because of the free education
and accommodation. He said each Muslim must know what his or her religion says
and be able to practice deen without depending on the clergy.
Dr Shahid
Siddiqi, professor at the Lahore School of Economics, mentioned US policy about
funding madressahs during the Afghan war against the then Soviet Union and now
spending millions of dollars to rein in these places and revamp their
curricula.
Executive director of Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy,
Shahnaz Wazir Ali said the improvement in the country's educational system
without the formulation of a new governance paradigm was impossible. Social,
economic and political systems need to be redefined. She said we should learn
from nations like China who have struggled for years to attain a good quality
system.
Prof A.H. Nayyar, leading physicist and educationist, defined
acquisition of communication and reasoning ability as the tools to be given to
students through a modern and inclusive education system. He said critical
thinking should be developed if we want a creative society to nurture. Dawn
|
