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Secret to success?
Karachi, July 28: Farwa Kamal, an 18-year-old-student of Foundation Public School,
is faced with a predicament - most of her classmates are going abroad to do
their Bachelor's this summer. However, owing to financial constraints, she had
to abandon her dream of studying in one of the most prestigious universities of
London.
The question is, what compels Pakistani students to opt for a
foreign university? What makes them look up to foreign universities? This need
to study abroad, though it has been 60 years since independence, makes it
obvious that we still feel inferior to our colonial rulers. Be it education or
medicine, we prefer to go abroad to learn what they study because we don't seem
to trust our teaching system.
Owais Jafer, 17, appeared for his O-Level
exams this session. He says that he prefers a UK university over a Pakistani one
because he thinks it will provide him with better career opportunities. "I want
to end up somewhere great - a place that has a good reputation and background -
a college that will have the potential to open up new avenues for me," he says.
His friends couldn't agree more. Yusra Imtiaz 17, who also appeared for her
O-Level exams this summer, believes that a foreign degree is imperative for
success. "True, studying abroad has some difficulties associated with it, but no
pain, no gain."
It is no secret that Britain is expensive. So it is not
that surprising that not all parents can afford it. They need at least a million
rupees to finance their studies and daily expenses every year. And even with
some financial aid, the cost might be still too high for most parents. But is
this investment worth it? Not necessarily, it seems. Most Pakistani students who
make a journey to the UK are not able to sustain the enthusiasm and eagerness
that is imperative for success at any university.
Mohsin Sadiq is one
example. Though he went to study, he now mops a McDonald outlet in central
London. "It is useless to come to London. Had I been in Pakistan, I would have
been living a respectable life. Here, I am forced to work because I am not used
to starving. Those lads who come here without any prior arrangements for money
end up here. Most of my Pakistani friends who came with me now either work with
me here or stand at a petrol station instead of attending classes," he
laments.
Studying in a foreign university is considered to be a
privilege. "Studying abroad costs most families a fortune and not every other
student from Pakistan gets a scholarship or financial aid. There are a lot of
students vying for every penny in UK," says an analyst. According to her, our
students unnecessarily degrade Pakistan's universities. "For many young people,
London is at the top on their priority lists. They believe that London holds the
key to success. This is an absolutely false notion as the chances for success
for a LUMS or IBA graduate are equal to that of an LSE graduate," she
notes.
However, there is a vast majority that believes in studying in
Pakistan, at least up till graduation. Maryam Baqir, an A-Level Karachi Grammar
School student, feels that there is no pre-defined criterion for success. "It
all depends on the individual. Not every one is guaranteed a place at the most
prestigious university in the world. We must be able to cash in every
opportunity that comes in our way," she adds.
Zarish Rasheed, another
Grammar School student, says that four years of college and university from
England is a waste of money. She says that if one wants, they can do their
post-graduate from a prestigious university, because while at work, no one cares
about the place where one studied from. "You must know how to talk to people and
make good decisions. That is all that counts when one goes out to work. A
British university cannot guarantee this. They can make us excellent decision
makers, but not excellent speakers. The most important ingredient of success is
self-belief," she explains
There are numerous universities in Pakistan
that provide the same level of education as those in the UK, and an equal
opportunity to succeed. Higher studies in fields such as Literature,
Engineering, Medicine, Law, Business, Architecture or Arts have a strong
structure in Pakistan, even the best in the region. The Indus Valley and NCA in
Lahore have produced many good young artists such as A.R. Naeem, Ali Kazim and
Amna Hashim who have had the honour of holding many exhibitions in Pakistan and
abroad. Sajjad Kausar a famous architect is yet another graduate of a Pakistani
university.
In the field of medicine, Pakistani universities have a
solid reputation and have stood the test of time by having educated some of the
best doctors. Also, they take less time and less money but demand work, as tough
as any foreign university.
On the flip side, those interested in
subjects such as Archeology, Anthropology or Music, may have a harder time
finding teachers since it is in this area that Pakistan doesn't provide a strong
forum. These candidates do have a good reason to pursue their studies in another
country. A foreign education will raise their chances of success in Pakistan and
internationally.
There is no doubt about the fact that universities in
Pakistan are indeed doing a good job in producing many young, brilliant
professionals in several fields. It seems that it boils down to an individual's
decision to study in Pakistan or not. Going abroad may cost more, but it cannot
assure success. One has to decide what it is feasible and how to make the best
of one's available resources. That may end up being the secret ingredient for
accomplishment.
By Rabab Z. Naqvi (The news)
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