Desirability to have a uniform system of education
and curricula throughout the country is often voiced in certain quarters. This
demand is nothing more than a myth and is absolutely academic in nature. It is
neither pragmatic nor practicable nor desirable. Then what makes some academicians
to mc id for a uniform system of education? What useful purpose can it serve?
They are not very clear about its benefits except that it is likely to promote
national unity. They have perhaps forgotten Urdu Bengali tussle which was one
of the factors that accounted for separation of East Pakistan. Bengali had
eventually been declared the second national language of the country but the
damage had been done which could not be repaired.
Education
system is reflective of the structure of Pakistani society. It is uniform only
in the sense that it s a mosaic of variety of cultures. Otherwise it is
diverse, pluralistic, distinctive each feature exhibiting exclusive
characteristics which have nothing in common with each other. More than that
the society is composed of extra-rich minority, vast disgruntled middle class
and poverty ridden majority. How can uniform system be devised for it. An
educational system is not only a set of syllabi and a program of examinations
that may chum out well groomed citizens some other factors also take part in
their education. These are their home life, social environment and the
institution they attend. Put a student belonging to a primitive tribe in a
public school he will not be able to get along. To have a uniform system of
examination minimum requirement would be a society blessed with economic
uniformity i.e. a nation enjoying a status of distribution of wealth.
Summing up, it may be said that to bring the vast
majority of illiterates into the educational net the Union Councils spread all
over Pakistan should be directed to launch as many Primary Schools as required
so that every child of school going age of their area gets enrolled. This vast
network of NSUs (National Union Schools) will form the mainstream of Pakistan’s
educational system. The NSUs will be funded by the state. A standardized
uniform syllabus as prescribed for government schools will be adopted by the
NSUs as well. Trained teachers shall be provided b the Education Department.
This is how the whole nation should get educated up to the Primary level within
a short period. Demand for further education will ensure opening up of Middle
order and Secondary level schools. Presently there are enough universities for
higher education. More may be opened, if required. The government should
allocate 10 to 15% of the GI)P annually, as against the present 1.8%, for the
attainment of the stated objective. Bangladesh allocates 7.4% while the level
of allocation in the world over is 5% on an average. UNESCO may be approached
for educational funds and professional expertise.