Taking objective view that the government is
genuinely interested in the achievement of the declared target it would be well
advised to set up a High Powered Educational Authority with the task of
educating the whole nation as early as possible within the next 5 years. The
task should be entrusted to the Union Councils of the LG system, whose number
in the country is 6026. They should all be directed to establish the required
number of Primary Schools in their areas in accordance with a road map, to
ensure the enrollment of every child of school going age. The Authority will
provide modernized syllabi and teaching staff. The government should allocate
enough funds annually to finance the project over the next 5 years.
Almost six decades are over why more than half of
the nation is still illiterate. The answer is that Pakistan is in the grip of a
feudalistic system from the very start. The country has been ruled by
Jagirdars, Sardars, Khans, Landlords, Chaudhries, agro-Industrialists, Generals
and religious overlords. This is our feudal class. The feudal is an autocrat
who doesn’t like to see his people educated because that eventua1ly may
eliminate him by ushering in a state of true democracy and establishing a real
Islamic welfare state, giving the nation social justice by promoting rational
distribution of wealth. This is what the feudal does not want to happen.
But the feudal is so deeply entrenched in our
national life that it is almost impossible to get rid of him. However, this
mission impossible can be achieved by a leader of substances who may appear on
the scene and usher in universal revolution.
Precedence has been set in recent history by Gen
Park of Korea who came to power in 1962, abolished feudalism to achieve 100 %
national education during the next few years. Education turned a poor country
into an economic giant, within a decade. Korea was far behind Pakistan during
fifties. Today it is miles ahead of it. Secret of the economic progress of the
rest of the Far Eastern nations (ASEANS) is also abolition of feudalism and
achievements in the field of education.
Pakistan is likely to remain an uneducated and
economically backward nation for the next hundreds of years if it fails to
abolish feudalism and does not bring in educational reforms on priority basis.
No democratic government shall ever be able to
accomplish this task for the reasons mentioned above. Our nation will have to
await the arrival of a leader of Gen Park type to abolish feudalism who would
have the means, power, vision and force of personality to enforce his reforms.
That would be first phase of the desired educational revolution. To start with
a small group of dedicated educationists, aided by the media, may launch a movement
‘for the desired educational revolution which may gather momentum and pave way
for the emergence of the awaited Leader (ship).
The second phase would be the reformation or
preservation of the existing educational structure, given below, as well as
provision of educational cover to more than 50% of country’s illiterate
population.