As it happened, contrary to all the soulful advice and prudence, the other day one dared participate in a family gathering to represent generation that were no more. Apart from all the changes that decades of living in isolation imposed by disintegration of the clan in 1947, what struck one the most was the appearance of two distinct classes of children of parents of the same ancestry.
They had been divided partly by the degree of their parents’ situation in life and their location, but mostly by their type of schooling. The children brought up in westernised countries differed from the children reading in the English medium `modern’ schools in Pakistan in many ways.
The former were normal children. They tried to become a part of their Pakistan-based cousins. The group, from the local modern schools, felt visibly uncomfortable and out of place. To say the least, they were misfits. While the former enjoyed, the latter were incessantly pestering their parents to abandon the function and get back home.
One cannot help pondering over this contrast. There is no doubt that social change triggered by abundance of communication media, frequent foreign travel, rise in incomes and aspirations had to create a modern class, though at the cost of the less privileged population. The gap thus created has entered the most sacrosanct of institutions – the family, which can lead to disintegration of the value system that keeps the society stable and composed. Since the Pakistani society has not yet experienced the type of disruption in family rampant in the West, there does not exist an appreciation of the great gift of family cohesion in our countries and the curse of self-centeredness confronting the industrialised societies. The confusion between westernisation and modernity is fast pushing societies in the developing world towards lifestyles of the West in which material well-being is obtained by sacrificing traditional bondages which made people of yore happier and secure. The instant panics that grip most of the United States over hints of a terrorist attack, are just tips of the social malaise lying under the facade of material prosperity and strength. The developing societies need to learn a few lessons from circumstances of the developed world.
The contrast between children that one was talking about is a reflection of the change in thinking of a part of Pakistani society, as well as a portent of the things to come when today’s children grow up. Ironically, this difference is mostly being created by education and atmosphere in the home. The prevalence of two separate tiers of education in the public and the private sectors based apparently on the medium of instruction attracts sporadic attention of educationists and leaders of public opinion. But the number of pro-English institutions goes on increasing. They are being followed by a sizeable group of investors of all shades who have created a plethora of English-medium business houses in the name of modem education. While minting money by the bushel, they are producing battalions of semi-educated young men and women making the modern education scene murky as never before.
Picture of elementary education is still bleaker. Nursery schools, claiming modern education, are growing like mushrooms even in remote areas of the country. Since there is big money in the activity, there does not seem any end to it. Harm is dual:
First: Parents are being fleeced through high fees, uniforms and compulsory private tuition and what not.
Second: Children are imparted unwholesome education by untrained teachers working in commercial ambience. The whole exercise, as such, may amount to the production of a pretentious and vane body of young people. The dual system tends to divert investment from the public sector to the hybrid private schools, leaving hundreds of thousand children of school-going age in wilderness.
The basic question about education is its purpose and utility for society, and which system can fulfill this purpose better? Education is meant to mould a child into a good human being who is beneficial to society. Few people realise that these goals of education remain inert until the student is also imbibed with the desire to utilise their knowledge for the good of society, besides developing empathy for the people. And that is where our education has been failing. The age old aim of producing a ‘knowledgeable overall persona started fading away since the noble profession of teaching completely gave way to powerful and money making occupations.
Although both systems have fallen victim to this malady, yet the modern English medium schools were bigger losers, due to their emphasis on job-related education and westernising the students. This effectively cut them off from the common man and the traditional value system. Most of the students of these institutions tend to get themselves enveloped into small worlds of their own, far away from their environment. They are made to believe that their immediate aim in life is to score A grades, speak English and immerse themselves in popular western ways of life. That severs their connection with Pakistan of the common people – the real Pakistan. Younger children are forced to speak English, memorise foreign stories and, poems and mimic American or British mannerism, stunting their mental faculties.
Saddest part of the story lies in the incapacity of a vast number of parents to send their children to expensive English-medium private schools, followed by enrolment in foreign universities. This has given rise to colossal corruption ands illegal practices by parents in both the. public and the private sector. A further; tragedy is that considerable number of those graduating from foreign universities either do not come back and are employed by foreign institutions; multinational corporations and business houses, depriving Pakistan of their expertise, skills and financial returns. Simple question is as to which type of educated young men and women will be more dependable and useful for the Pakistani nation? Those who know little about the Pakistani society and culture and who are liable to serve foreign countries; or those having their roots in this society and are more likely to stay in Pakistan. The answer is obvious: Ultimately, these will be the home grown men and women that the families and the nation will look forward for guidance, assistance and successor.
However, it does not mean that the modern English-medium schools should be shut down. They are good vehicles of carrying out modernisation of society. What is needed is their humanization; make them affordable for the common, people; de-mechanise their syllabi and bring their students close to the Pakistani society and the people. The Urdu-medium schools need to be upgraded in quality, teachers made secure, well paid and trained. The love for humanity, brotherhood, justice and peace should be emphasised in all schools – English and Urdu medium.
In the context of dual education systems, one cannot ignore parents’ indifference with their children’s activities. In fact, they create within the home an atmosphere of total license and freedom and are proud of their scions’ adoption of Western values and mannerism, even if it cuts off their links with the Pakistani culture. This attitude must change. It is neither good for the family nor the nation. Children are too young and too inexperienced to dictate their terms to parents. School and the family should jointly commit themselves to produce good human and responsible citizens. We owe it to humanity, to our country, our own future, and most of all, the children themselves.
July 29, 2004
Tags: Class Differences in Pakistan, Corruption, Curriculum, Education, Pakistani Society
June 12, 2011 at 4:28 pm |
dunno what ur on about but thats sum long article so well done for you