I TOOK my son to school on his first day.
Naturally, he was a bit nervous but a firm hand and constant praise reinforced by his favourite toys and candy made him relax and he embarked on his journey to I hope a good education.
When I was leaving his school, I couldn’t help but wonder whether my son would learn to love and respect all human beings? Will his school help him become a strong and patriotic Pakistani? I returned home with these questions turning over in my mind.
Learning these days is much more than bool(s. I remember my school days when our schoolhad nolavishfurniture and no LCDs to show us cartoons. We were taught the same things but in a simpler and effective way. We learned how to learn. We learned to respect and obey. We were told stories of morality and students were made to judge and weigh themselves on the basis of morality. All teachers were loved and respected.
As I grew older and moved to higherinstitutes, the differences began. I saw education become a business. Educational institutes and teachers became service providers. You paid and they transferred knowledge Education today is confined to books and exam results. Students are not taught morality. They learn how to get good marks and compete. Schools no longer malce strong personalities or instill high self-esteem and consciousness. Thus I am worried about the future of our youth.
Ours is a land rich in values, spirituality and consciousness. It will flourish if self-respect, service to others, honesty, integrity and spirituality are instilled in our children to build a nation of high moral selves.
Our education system needs uniformity.
The key lies in ensuring that Islamic education in its true sense is revived, and modernised to ensure a prosperous and peaceful Pakistan.
Nabila Bashir Ahmad Mailsi