“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey
Human beings, unlike robots and as Allah’s best of creations, possess the ability to think critically and reason their thoughts. Perhaps, they, equipped with a preset machine; the brain, have the capability to distinguish between what is right and wrong.
Education, in this context, is the tool that renovates and polishes the brain for it to function efficiently and be able to think intensively, carrying on with capabilities that human beings can reach. In other words, someone who has not been taught to imagine would never be able to dream of achieving anything big in his or her life. Similarly, if someone who has not learnt to walk will never, in his or her life, be able to stand up on his or her feet. This shows that education’s role is, without any doubt, a constructive one where its key purpose and motive is to construct in individuals a polished brain that is in charge of thinking openly and perhaps, creatively.
Education, thereby, launches human beings on their journey to defy odds through the use of their maximum potential. Many intellects are enlisted in the books of history for bringing a change through consistent struggle and tunnel vision; a trait or a gift that is bestowed by education. Enlightened were the minds of these people. One such intellect mind, perhaps, was of the young barrister of his time and highly educated M.A. Jinnah, who through his consistent struggle, passion, hard work and tunnel vision, was able to separate Muslim majority of the sub-continent onto a separate land that we today proudly call, “Pakistan.”
Since the dawn of human civilization, the need and importance of education is felt. Education has remained the most powerful tool for securing growth and progress ranging from personal to group, community, state and even at grand cultural and civilization level around the globe. Islam has placed a high value on education and has enjoyed a long and rich intellectual tradition. The importance of education is repeatedly mentioned in the Holy Quran with frequent injunctions such as, “God will exalt those of you who believe and those who have knowledge to high degrees.” (58:11)
Education, undoubtedly, has remained an essential prerequisite of societal change. The role of education has ever since been purposive as it looks onto creating newer intellectual minds ready to bring positive change in their respective societies. However, in today’s time the true meaning of education is starting to dissolve through manipulation and deterioration at primary as well as secondary level of socialization. The worst part about this downturn is that it remains neglected.
In Pakistan, the chain of manipulation remains strong especially in remote areas where untrained teachers find it a mere formality to teach students that too on the pattern of uncreative rote-learning. Teachers in students inculcate the idea of education being a race towards a successful life. Unfortunately, by catching onto this idea, students lose on the chance of enjoying their ongoing life. Education does not mean to get under the pressure of securing good grades rather it means to understand the world and be aware of its problems. Albert Einstein, regarding this, rightly said, “Education is not the learning of facts but the training of the mind to think.”
It is pity that “copy culture” still remains a vital factor in polluting the education sector. Examination rooms no more inflict sense of pressure on students kudos to the scenario of opening cheating. And so, to expect meritocracy, considering students are given open tickets to plagiarism, would be nothing but utopic. Hence, as long as cheating remains a part within education sector, the very roots of meritocracy are bound to be shaken. Consequently, students give up on hard work, losing all hope for self-learning through education.
While the world has started implementing vocational education due to its growing significance, Pakistan, on the contrary, faces a dramatic lack of vocational education training programs all thanks to ever since outdated educational reforms. Vocational training helps students build their analysis, giving them in hand the choice of pursuing their dream and passion. Such programs help students to develop newer skills and make them ‘work-ready’.
In a nutshell, education is an individual’s personal journey up the ladder of success that is composed by finding aim, passion and happiness instead of good grades. There are thousands of people who hold graduation degree every year but there are very few of these who eventually end up holding a job; their passion and finding happiness. Pakistan needs to fix the wrecked education system that has a completely wrong outlook of teaching, with newer education reforms that would help students get out of rote-learning, develop new skills, work hard to represent the nation on international platforms in various academic fields and most importantly comprehend the purpose of their education as a useful future contribution for the betterment of their country.
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