[Opinion] Is our ‘educatoinal attainments’ prowess a house of cards?
by Aslam Khan Ghalib
Exams are held to let students assess their own performances in their educational pursuits and to put more efforts to excel with a good effect. But, unfortunately, the real essence of education is misperceived and misunderstood by most people because of the deteriorating educational system which has systematically developed flaws and resulted in vulnerability to many unfair means. The situation would become traumatic if not controlled on this very moment.
The recent news portraying the unfair means in one of the reputed educational institution in the upper Hunza, Gojal, has provoked many nerves to think and rethink about this incident.
The deployment of invigilators to the examination centers should be purely based on merit and there shall be some strict instructions made for the invigilators to follow as to avoid any kind of mishap or/and uncertainty.
The claims of being the most literate people in the whole country seems to be based on many distorted groundings where we are perhaps trying to define ourselves, relying on unfair means which have no strength and can place us nowhere.
It should be crystal clear in the minds that it is not a fault on the students’ side to get involved in unfair means rather the whole system is contaminated with the elements of unfair means and has provided the students some very easy and comforting ways to get through the exams without realizing the reality behind the exams.
I will not take even a single second in blaming the false system which has no interest in the real progress of the students and their future endeavors and is just striving to prove itself as an error free system which is very much evident through its actions being depicted in the reputed educational institutions.
The ones showing non serious behavior and irresponsible mind set regarding their duties must strictly be taken to task.
No system is perfect and there is always a room for improvement. We have to treat education as a tool which should be used for the welfare of the man kind rather than making it a threat for the young blood in the long run.
I hope that every individual of the society will realize this matter as a matter of fact and will try to advise the new generation not to rely on things which have no basis. It is like if we are taken along the unfathomable sea waves which normally pass by producing gorgeous sounds but have their effects for the time being and once gone can not return to us and are not persistent with the same effects for longer.
We must try to get into the depth of such intricate matters to root out their persistency. The time demands from the young blood to be extraordinary hard working as to cope up the ongoing and upcoming challenges and to be in accordance with the requirements of the time.
Dear writer !!!! It is not rational to suspect everyone’s ability by simply associating it with one Incident !!!!!!!
Dear NTSR,
This is not meant to suspect everyone’s ability rather is a general concern which needs to be addressed by people who are familiar with the realities and believe in merits.
This incident which I have mentioned is just an example which was portrayed through media and there are many such cases which would require the attention of people like you. For the last many years the result of the students from the educatioanl institutions remained poor and there were hardly some who got through their exams.
Why all this is happening? Is this only the fault on the students side? I think the fault is within the adminsitration who is not following the principles of merit.
This is not alltogether meant to target individuals for their inabaility rather the worst system who has failed to execute some good results which could be reliable and prospective.
We all need to work together to root out issues which can be problematic in the long run
Regards
Dear Aslam Ghalib,
You have done good efforts to highlight the weaknesses and chaos in our examination systems and assessment procedures; educationist and policy makers are confirmed that a critical weakness of Pakistan’s education system is its examination methodology, which is designed primarily as a text of memory based on a single text book.
We can not change the mindsets of the employees in public sector until and unless we have fresh appointments of highly qualified and experts. Establishment of the AKU- Examination Board is one of the good initiatives to bring revolutionary changes in the examination system, assessment & testing procedures and train teachers & develop supplementary materials etc.
Our education system requires bold and rational decisions irrespective of its political and social outcomes.
Lets hope for the best in the days ahead.
Regards
Shah Zaman
Dear PT
At least Aslam, has tried to put his word in the direction of solution. I donot want to appreciate his efforts but to thank, thanks for make the people feel about a minor point in our life which is destroying our lives.
But this not the root, it just one branch or it. A branch which has it roots into some other place. We all have the power to go for the change but we do not have time for all these small and dangerous issue.
Every one have the passion and desire for change, but afraid to express or to take action against. The best way is to be quite and wait for the waves to take you out when it’s your turn. Because we know that, there is no one who can take the first step. We do not have any one with the power of leadership.
Our education here is based on the principle of the checking of the memory of the brain of a student that how much he/she carries words in mind and generally the student does not attain the desired knowledge. So if one knows the thing and is unable to carry up throughout in mind the delicate points in numbers tries to carry some pieces of papers for using unfair means or cheating in exams. For more other students is used generally the way of teaching up to be able to answer the desired question in short form which has lead to the use of easy guides just to pass the exam. It is all just because of the poorer system of education that has not been changed throughout the country.