By: Hamza Khan
Higher education is the last gap between an academic career and the practical life of any individual that is directly linked with a work force. What you study today will have to be practically implemented tomorrow. unfortunately, what is being taught in Pakistani universities does not meet this criterion.
The knowledge taught in their educational institutions is not up to date. For this is the reason, when a young person enters any industry with a degree, they do not meet the required skill qualification faced with many difficulties in their job search.
Teachers also play role in deteriorating situation of higher education in Pakistan. The system for hiring teachers is flawed as Students’ needs are not considered during the process. Hence, teachers with no experience come into the education system with no clue on how to properly help their students. Additionally, there are some teachers who are intelligent and suitable for research but lack the necessary qualities of a good teacher. Unfortunately, they end up failing their students, making them under-prepared for life after school.
The appointment of vice-chancellors and senior officials in universities is greatly politicized in Pakistan. Most political leaderships nominate high officials for universities without having any basic qualities for recruitment. Some high-ranking officials cannot even speak properly in front of public. There is no formal training system for vice chancellors. Those who have more political affiliation become vice Chancellors without any ability to lead the university. Hence, these institutions are deprived of strong leadership, thus ultimately leading to their downfall.
Students unions are banned in Pakistani universities. On the contrary, there are many teacher’s unions locally and nationally. This is total injustice to the students because the students are harassed inside universities in different form without any strong response from students. When students object, show cause notices are issued so that the voices of students can be suppressed. There is no body to solve students, problems. If there are teacher unions then why there is a ban on student unions?
Recently, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman, Dr Tariq Banuri, went viral after his latest statement. He said that “Our education system can produce neither good students nor good – citizens”. Dr Banuri expressed his thoughts about the education system of Pakistan at the Karachi Literature Festival of this year. He stated that the country has been paying the price for blunders made in its education system. Pakistani universities should be made independent and provided scholastic opportunities to form their students into productive members of society.
The world is changing rapidly but higher education in Pakistan is still based on old traditions. No new skills are taught to students, instead it relays but just rely on repeating curriculums that are never revised. Moreover, most of the knowledge taught is not relevant to today’s world. Students are facing outdated knowledge that can not polish or prepare them for a better future.
When will higher education improve in Pakistan and who will improve it? These are the questions that still need to be answered.
