Author Topic: Govt must own public, not private schools  (Read 932 times)

Offline iram

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Govt must own public, not private schools
« on: April 20, 2010, 02:13:41 PM »
Govt must own public, not private schools

Ending educational 'apartheid' is a big challenge and the goal can never be achieved if the spirit of ownership of public schools is missing. Things today would have been different if any government had given priority to education and focused on it.

It is the result of this neglect and disowning attitude that today we see various types of education systems in the country and uniformity seems only a pipe dream. Academics believe that things should be streamlined before it is too late. Much has been said about bringing religious seminaries into the mainstream and regulating the working of private school but less has been done. The unbridled working of private schools is going on unchecked whereas government schools are still locked in debate over issues such as medium of instruction. Also no concrete government effort is seen on the madrassa front. The frequent demand of inclusive education by various organisations of people with disabilities is yet to see any positive and practical response.

It is generally said that educational apartheid is "a recipe for social conflicts" which is true to some extant as different types of education produces and promotes classes divisions in society. The have-nots, mostly, have to bank on public sector schooling, if circumstances allow them, while the haves get opportunities to pursue education at home or abroad.

In NWFP (now Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) where government teachers were recently directed to enrol their children in government schools invited strong criticism from different quarters. The decision had to be reverted when teachers retaliated and demanded politicians and rulers follow suit. The move called for such a reaction! At the same time, the whole episode also exposes the apathy of society. Now teachers in Punjab have called for mandatory schooling of children of legislators and government employees at public schools. One wonders what will be the reaction this time. Teachers are of the view that public schools and teachers are being ignored as children of the elite as well as those in power do not study at government schools. It is a bitter fact that like majority of well off people such as MPAs, MNAs and officials and even those serving in the Education Department do not send their children to government schools because of low quality of education being imparted there. Teachers of public schools complain about step-motherly treatment being meted out to them and their institutions. -By Khalid Khattak (lachvee@gmail.com) The news