Recently, private sector universities of Pakistan namely LUMS and NUST have paved their way in the top 100 universities of the world. A great news indeed for the education system of Pakistan, but on the other hand, we see scandals of Beacon House and Lahore Grammar Schools selling like hot cakes in winter.

The question here arises, does the education system need reforms for betterment, or it can simply be improved by discouraging private sector for its gigantic bank accounts. Here in this situation, we must consider various aspects that are deteriorating our education system. Private sector fee structures can be one of the millions of factors but not the only factor causing a difference in education system of Pakistan.

In order to understand the dynamics, one must consider the private and public sector management strategies and education systems. The private sector educational systems are currently celebrating their golden age, and they are maintaining their systems because they are maintaining their setups and management. Starting from faculty members to the local working staff, everyone seems to work with a proper management without wasting a single moment of the parents who aim at enrolling their children for fall admissions. Everyone in this particular set up will make the clients believe that this university/school will not only pamper their children but will provide them opportunity to broaden their horizon.

The faulty members in the private sector do not possess the right to publicly insult students and will do their best to ensure that the student will not leave the class unattended. One of the best tools of private sector universities is the introduction of new teaching pedagogies and reinforcing the given knowledge will the help of worksheets. This is true that the private sector universities are charging double than the worksheets given to the students, but on the basis of accounts the systems cannot be demolished.

On the flip side, let’s consider the public sector universities and schools. For the sake of getting admissions, the parents will have to wait in a huge unorganised line where there is not a single person to attend them. We majorly see elderly people wavering around all baffled and confused for getting their slips singed by people who are not even sitting in their offices. Considering the teaching pedagogies, the only thing that has been happening in the last 30 years is the use of black boards to white boards and mere introductions to multimedia which is used only when the students will have to give a presentation at Bachelor’s and master’s level. The teachers at public sector primary schools are epitomes of bad behaviour and bad education. In comparison with the private sector, it is true that the public sector is charging not even half of it but then again, they are not giving even half of the facilities that are visible in the private sector.

Adding on, if money is such a driving force for blaming the private sector then the public sector is to be blamed equally. It is an excellent decision made by the Government to have an investigation in the accounts of the private sector schools but at the same time, who is to be held responsible in the public sector schools where the education is compromised by all means.

There is a huge notion revolving since the day PTI government has taken charge and that is equal education for all which is indeed something worth commendable. The important point is how this will be practically implemented. By reducing fee structures in private schools, you may ask the upper middle class to penetrate in the elite class but what about the poor people who can’t even afford Rs 200/- per month.

It is essential that the systems are imitated and most importantly teaching pedagogies. The public sector education needs a great deal of reforms that involves improving their management systems and classroom policies. For the reason, the private sector can be of great help. The primary education department must send their representatives to private sector schools and universities to view and understand the variety of systems and teaching techniques and try to place them in public sector school and universities. The curriculum also needs to be similar in public and private sector institutes so that the same student’s body graduates by the end of the year. For the reason, the Examination Boards will have to maintain a similar policy for evaluation. It must consist of learning objectives and learning outcomes which should be checked on annual basis as well.

It is high time that the government takes decision with the right mind because the focus should be maintaining quality education rather than playing the blame game which will eventually take centuries to resolve an issue which is already going way out of our hands.

The writer is Mphil in English Literature.

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