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THE UNDULATIONS in Pakistan`s education system are not new and are a customary of education system we inherited from British colony during occupation of subcontinent. Most of hackneyed practices and conventional education methodology still stales the education system and drops its effervescence with passage of time.
Knowledge is oxygen for productivity and economic growth, while focusing on role of information, technology and learning in global traverse. The modern economies are principally emphasizing on knowledge through policy reforms in education sector in order to cultivate the knowledge based economies. Knowledge can fertilize barren economy and sensing its significance; developed countries have realigned their priorities and shifted their orientation towards education and knowledge.
One question do hit every prudent mind that if quality of education system of our country was not up to the desired level how could the eminent scientists of the likes of Prof Dr Abdul Salam, Dr Abdul Qadir Khan be produced? One simply doesnt need to go an extra mile to unstitch the conundrum; of course it was unjust to call them the product of system, in fact they were perfect example of patchy brilliance, unfathomable talent, immaculate exuberance and anomalistic acumen. They were streams meandering through the impish desert forcefully paddling their way. Developed countries upgrade their education system according to the national needs in compliance with the international standards. Only a flawless education system could be the sole guarantor of splashing knowledge based economy.
Besides few universities; major proportion of universities lack basic infrastructure that is must to suffice the needs of quality education. The inexperienced faculty, poor lab facilities, lack of focus on intellectual growth, and academic dishonesty are outrageous problems that may look feeble but have deep implications on the productivity of the education.
The academia-industry gap is often discussed at different forums and it is mandatory to be wiped in order to upgrade the curriculum of academia, but apart from that faculty-administration gap is the most subtle fissure that needs to be filled in. In most of the cases, faculty is discontented over lack of cooperation of administration even if they have some pragmatic proposal; university admin fails to support them in the name of inadequate funds.
Through policy reforms administrative and faculty staff both should be given equivalent authorization and balance of warrants must be ensured. The funding needs to be boosted substantially and allocation of Rs. 71 billion to Higher Education Commission (HEC) in the Federal budget 2015-16 will allow the organization to reinforce the scholarship budget for universities.
The lack of interdisciplinary research is also a huge vacuum which needs to be addressed. Inter departmental and inter university collaborations are the antidote to account this issue. Such measures will not only improve the quality, competitiveness, and research productivity of the universities but also give students new ventures to explore.
The examination pattern currently brings best crammers into the lime light and not the innovators. The improvisation discouragement snubs the creativity of much of the talent that gets flushed or remains unexplored. The examination pattern reformation must be employed by HEC on advanced level in order let innovators rule the future instead of present ruling crammers left to the unmerciful fate at the end.
HEC in any case is the organization to look for in order to wave the magic wand and take practicable measures keeping in view the limitations of financial constraints in order to embark for an illustrious voyage to knowledge based economy riding on the fleet of flawless education system.
The author is associated with Technology Times as Editorial Assistant. He can be reached at ahsan@technologytimes.pk