Education like democracy, free markets, freedom of the press, and ‘universal human rights’ is one of those subjects whose virtue is considered self-evident. So is the superiority of the industrially advanced countries in attaining them.
Consequently, any package that arrives with one of these magic labels on it, automatically qualifies for the ‘green channel’ at our entry ports. No questions asked. This uncritical acceptance has severely crippled our discussion of all these vital topics.
For example in education most of our discussion centers around literacy statistics and the need to have so many graduates, masters, PhD’s, and so many professionals, engineers, doctors, etc in a given country based on the standards in the industrially advanced countries.
Unfortunately our system of education is such that we hardly get to know the importance of hard work till it is too late. That is the reason why we are unable in producing the kind of talent that could make a mark at national or international level.
The central issue of curriculum and even more fundamental issue of the purpose of education normally do not attract our attention; they have already been decided by the ‘advanced’ countries for us and our job is only to follow in their footsteps to achieve their level of progress. Indeed they have.
In the ‘first’ world, education has become an extension of the capitalist system. Its purpose is to provide qualified workforce for its machinery of production and eager consumers for its products. Stated in a more polished form, the purpose of education is to provide for the economic prosperity of a country.
Similarly on a personal level today the purpose of education is to be able to earn a respectable living only. Moving ahead of these worn out things, there is a need of immense amount of hard work if the aim is to excel. The reason why our education is lagging far behind is that we have lost the temperament to work hard and relentlessly.
While earning ‘halal’ living and providing for the economic well being of a country are certainly important Islamic goals as well, the linking of education to financial goals is extremely unfortunate. It turns the centers of learning into mere vocational centers in their outlook and spirit. It degrades education and through it the society.
Education must be for eradicating class system, inequality, casteism, untouchability and discrimination.
(Author is a research scholar and teacher by profession)
