Modern civilization is dominated by science and
scientific development. As a result of it specializations in certain branches
and industrialization have become the most important aspects of scientific
development. It is because of this reason that technical education has been so
much in demand. In the earlier days education — as meant for the intellectual
development of man and in some cases for spiritual cultivation. The main purpose
of education was to disciplines our emotions and discipline our thinking, and
by doing so “it made us fit for a proper type of social life. With the passing
of time education became broader in its embrace and more significant in
organizing the society. A number of politicians made use of education for
propagating their ideologies. For example. In Russia and China of yesterday
some of the sayings of individuals were taught in the schools and colleges. The
young minds were stuffed with certain thoughts which suited their purpose. But
nowadays education is becoming more and more job-oriented. That is why
technical education is assuming greater importance.
technical education makes us skilled so that we may
be able to handle the machines properly. As has already been pointed out
technical education makes us specialists in certain domains of life. There are
a large number of jobs which cannot be properly performed till technical
knowledge is acquired.
In a developing country like Pakistan technical
education is very important. It is not possible to make industry the important
basis of economy, as we have envisaged, without making arrangement for
technical education. That is why a larger number of Technical Institutes and
other engineering colleges cater to this type of education. In this respect one
thing should be kept in mind that arrangements for absorbing technical men be
made. Moreover industries should be set up every year. But this process cannot
go on for all times to come. At one or the other stage they will have to reduce
the number of those who get technical education so that here may not be
unemployment among the technical people. It is generally said that technical
men can never remain unemployed because they will have their own industries but
it is true in theory only. In practice it needs a good market to sell the
finished goods. It is not possible to provide these two things to all the
technical men.
In one of the essays entitled “Useless knowledge”
Russell tells us that technical education makes the people inhuman and purely
objective. They look at the problem purely from the technical point of view and
their thinking becomes cold and calculating. This is possibly one of the
defects of technical education. We should always try to have a larger outlook,
comprehensive thinking and humanitarian approach. For all this there should be
liberal education also. Technical education makes human beings machines but when
it is tampered with liberal education it becomes more wholesome and
beneficial. Liberal education not only makes us to cultivate our affections but
also develops our thinking. Apart from it technical education should be a part
of training after completing education and should not be an education in
itself.
Technical
training is more or less practical whereas education is somewhat different from
learning the skill.