Education plays a pivotal role in the development
of our younger generation to lead a successful life in this world of global
competition. There are many dimensions of education in the development of human
personality. It gives us professional knowledge.
It teaches us human skills. It
puts our mind on creative thinking. It builds our confidence and self-esteem.
Now the question is: are the private institutions playing their role for the
promotion of education?
We can see a mushroom of private schools and
colleges in Lahore but the parents and students are still in a state
of bewilderment which institution to join for quality education.
First of all,
the tuition fee and admission charges of leading institutions in private sector
are very high. Secondly, there are no standard criteria for getting admission
in these renowned institutions. Back door techniques are used to get admission
where the merit is lacking for open competition. It is very difficult for a
competent student from a middle class family to get admission in leading
institutions on merit.
Now, we see the condition in middle class
educational institutions. There is no quality of education in the so-called
average educational institutions. The teaching environment and the faculty is
not up to the mark. The standard of graduate & postgraduate level is so
poor that some institutions are even selling their transcripts & degrees.
The government is taking action against these institutions in private sector.
The University of the Punjab and Higher Education Commission have set a
standard for the operation of these institutions and award affiliations &
charters to only those private institutions who qualify the required criteria.
Everyday, we see the sign boards of a school or college removed by the
concerned authorities but again we see a new entrant in the education sector
with a very poor standard of teaching environment and faculty.
The tuition
culture is also a black spot on our prevailing educational environment in
private institutions. Many daytime colleges & schools are converted into
tuition centers in the evening. There are some private institutions that have
not been awarded charter by Higher Education Commission or affiliation with Punjab University but they are miss-leading or rather cheating the students by putting
false statements on their signboards and brochures.
The curriculum offered in most of the educational
institutes does not fit in the requirements of the job. Due attention is not
given to the professional programs to enable a student to face competitive
& professional requirements of the job opportunities in the market.
Education does not merely mean academic qualification.
What we have to do is to
mobilize our people and build up the character of our future generations. In
this world of global competition, success of a business is dependent upon the
quality of management, which comes through the quality of education.
The basic role of the educational institutions in
the private sector is to educate, train and develop the young generation for
the successful leadership roles in the practical realms of life. It is not just
the degree from a college, which ensures the highest standards of excellence
& growth. The basic purpose of training programs should not be to transmit
knowledge from books but to impart learning & training to effect changes in
behaviours & skills.
The point to note here is whether our educational
institutions in private sector are providing an opportunity to explore human
capabilities which are not addressed in main stream education and are they
willing to modify their curriculum to meet the demands of global competition
in the job market.
Due to high merit and limited seats in government
institutions, the majority of the students join private educational
institutions. So the demand of the day is that private institutions should
provide quality education at affordable price to fulfill their social
responsibility.
Disintegrated nations can be transformed into uncanny force by
bringing revolutionary changes in their stagnant thinking. We want our younger
generation to be flexible, creative and assertive enough to make out dreams
true about a progressive, liberal and strong Pakistan.
Education without purpose & direction is a mere
waste of time & resources that results in unemployment & frustration.
The educational institutions in the private sector should feel their
responsibility to provide quality education at affordable price. All of us do
not have equal talents, but all of use should have an equal opportunity to
develop out talents to have a competitive edge in the global market.
The government has its own role to play which
includes monitoring the activities of the educational institutions in the
private sector, encouraging those institutions which are playing a positive
role in providing quality education at affordable price and taking action
against those who are a black spot in the field of education.
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