Former Chief Minister of Balochistan Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani once stunned the nation when he said he believed that a ‘degree is a degree, whether genuine or fake.
He made the remarks while answering a question here on Tuesday about the verification of degrees of members of the Balochistan Assembly. All four-wave of coronavirus in Pakistan has affected people’s daily life and business as well as made education a mystery. After the first case came to light in Pakistan in March 2020, it was the first time when educational institutions were closed and this trend still continues even after a year and a half.
In view of the situation, the government has once again decided to promote students which have sparked questions has arisen as to when this series of repeated promotions will end. What will be the future of the students?
Closure of educational institutions
After the arrival of coronavirus in Pakistan, the first educational institutions were closed and today, after almost all the routines have been restored, the education system in the country has not been fully restored and where educational institutions are open, attendance is 50 percent, while the government has announced the lifting of restrictions in 18 districts. Asad Umar, head of the NCOC and Federal Minister, said that we had imposed some restrictions in 24 districts on September 4, but 18 districts are showing improvement.
Online education
Today, the world has become a global village due to the internet where there is a variety of content for learners. After the coronavirus wave in Pakistan, the online education system was activated in the country, but it also had many harmful effects.
Many children suffer from mental illness due to constant phone use but the important thing here is that the online system can be understood for matriculation or higher classes but online classes are not ideal for small class children.
Today, people from all walks of life find solutions to their problems on the Internet, but you have to come up with something and as soon as you understand, you can learn it online. It’s not like you don’t know how to use the internet or make phone calls, you can still study online.
How it is possible? While young children need training along with education which can only be obtained by going to school. In such a situation, to the extent of charging fees from parents in the name of online education to the children of small classes, the move is correct, but the school is necessary for learning and teaching.
Decision to promote students
The federal government has decided to pass 10th and 12th class students. An inter-provincial education ministers’ conference was held under the chairmanship of the Federal Minister for Education and Technical Training Shafqat Mahmood. According to sources, the government has decided to promote all the students of the 10th and 12th classes.
According to sources, the education ministers decided that due to coronavirus, immediate re-examinations would not be possible, so the matriculation and intermediate examinations would be repeated twice a year. Sources said that the education ministers decided that the examinations would not be termed as supplementary examinations. According to sources, the conference also decided that next year’s matriculation examinations would be held in May and June while the new session would begin in August.
Education and degree
The importance of education for both the rich and the poor is equally evident. The acquisition of knowledge is a duty on both men and women and is one of the basic human rights that, once acquired, cannot be taken away.
The primary goal of education is human mental and spiritual development. This is the light that dispels the darkness of ignorance. It’s not just about getting a degree, degrees are just for reassurance. Everywhere man shows his ability and the education he has received. If education is not given then there is no purpose or benefit in awarding degrees.
Future of student
Due to repeated closures of educational institutions in Pakistan for some time now, students were also promoted to the next classes last year, however, this year the federation and the provinces, despite disagreements, opened and closed the schools first and instead of promoting the students this year, they had announced to take exams in any case and now it has been decided to promote them once again.
Coronavirus is a fact, the importance of education is obvious, but measures to destroy education under the guise of an epidemic are in no way beneficial for the future of students. Currently, the education system has been partially running for a year and a half and regular study and acquisition of knowledge is not possible in the online system, so the government has been announcing repeated promotions.
In such a situation, the question is, if only a degree is to be given, then why so much effort? You should distribute degrees to everyone in the same way because the students who will be promoted in 2020 and 2021 when they go for higher education or job tomorrow, their degrees will not be given importance.
The question of life and death will arise, especially for those who seek employment on the basis of education. Unemployment is already high across the country, which will rise sharply. The government’s repeated promotion of students could actually ruin the future of students, with devastating effects.
