Anti Developmental Attitudes in Pakistan – EDUCATION

Education development is a capital investment into the nation and is of prime importance

in the socio economic development of the country. The article “Slapdash Solutions to the

Economic Problem by Dr. Mahnaz Fatima” covers the demanding situation when there is

a price hike. As stated in the article, “The middle and low-middle income groups have

difficulty choosing between food and education or quality education and healthcare and

housing”. It only moves us to ponder, why a basic right such as education have to be

treated as a commodity and why is it substitutable?

Anti developmental attitudes in the education arena are plenty. They start from the

individual levels and go up to the “big fish” sitting at the top. In most of the secondary

research done for this section, the solution to alleviating poverty starts from education.

The fact however, remains that an education policy for Pakistan has been and is MIA!1

The colonial subcontinent was a strong forte for education. The scheme put forth by the

British required eradicating the then prevailing education system and replacing it with

their own. It was Macaulay’s2 brainchild to convince the locals that English was the

better language. “A language that would make the locals subservient to the “master

race”.” And thus an education system was formed, a colonial rule that was to prevail the

Indian lands and the Indian intellect.

1
Still no education policy Dawn Editorial Tuesday, 04 Aug, 2009
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/16-still-no-education-
policy-hs-03
2
Macaulay, Thomas Babington , Member of the British Empire’s Supreme Council of India & Founder of
the Indian System of Education (1834-1838)
However insulting it may seem, we are a nation that has kept up with the phrase

“Macaulay’s Children”, a term that defines the Indians who adopted the Western culture

as their lifestyle. A matter of submission, an anti developmental attitude that we continue

to use in our daily lives, the usage of “sir or madam or miss”3 for our teachers, when the

correct procedure would be to address them with their respective hard-earned titles.

Such a behavior is instilled in us since our primary schooling and call it a force of habit,

at even the higher levels of education, we use the terms without realizing it is derogatory

for the teachers. And with such an attitude, we go in to the practical field, taking the anti

developmental, “subservient to the big-boss”, conduct with us.

The question then arises who is to be blamed for the existing condition of the Pakistani

education system. Here we must reason out on that there is no doubt that the development

in the field of education in Pakistan has been obstructed by an increase in population,

lack of resources and shortage of funding from private institutions, however, there has

also been a lack of quality “man power” and an inefficient education management system

in the country.

When it is said “those who can’t do teach”, it does seem to hold true for a few teachers in

the Pakistani education system. The check system in Pakistani education system is faulty

and therefore teachers have formed anti developmental attitudes. There is a lack of

sincerity4 in the profession now. It is about seeking cheap popularity amongst students by

3
Professor Dr. Mahnaz Fatima
4
Professor Dr. Mahnaz Fatima
being lenient and handing out good grades and therefore creating student dependency on

teachers5, without instilling in the students a quest for knowledge which has resulted in

students being result oriented versus learning oriented. Here, the teachers aren’t to be

blamed solely. The parents since their children’s primary education have a contingency

attached to the result the child gets in school work. A good result would lead to a reward.

“A “do your best” approach towards children should be instilled as their value system

that would inculcate a love of knowledge.”6

Teachers, should as an obligation, impart knowledge, however, they are more attracted by

taking the easy way out, teaching directly from the text book or getting presentation

slides from the Internet and not being prepared for the lecture. In some cases, making the

students present text book chapters to the class for the whole semester, making it a graded

“assignment”.

Teachers with such attitude are easy to flatter, a better term being “apple polishing” and

are therefore lured into giving students good grades. Not only does this hinder the

learning process, but the sense of responsibility that should be built in students is lost

since the interaction of the students with this teacher would be on a “bet/beti” basis. All

formality is lost as well. The idea of favoring a few students over others also entails an

anti developmental attitude that goes to demean a few students in front of others. An act,

which is openly and shamelessly performed in class rooms that has an impact on the self

esteem of students.

5
Professor Talat Wizarat, IBA faculty
6
Professor Talat Wizarat, IBA faculty