There exist a few core necessities for having exalted prosperity, huge development, significant progress and mammoth growth of any society and nation. Of these prerequisite requirements, education is the most important. It provides human beings with knowledge, skill, experience and intellectual capacity to cope with looming avalanches of challenges and difficulties. Developed nations are centred on quality education and those that do have succeeded in reaping tremendous and significant standing in the comity of the nations. The Muslims at one time and other minorities also saw success in the world because they possessed the best, sound and quality education.

Pakistan is hugely encumbered by myriad challenges which encompass socio-political, economic, cultural, and diplomatic problems. Unfortunately, all these daunting challenges are severely impeding the path leading toward the development, growth and progress of the country, both on a national and international front. Not surprisingly, these obstructive challenges can be tackled provided that a pragmatic approach be adopted. Furthermore, one vital factor that can help in surmounting over all these challenges is an effective, sound and better education system which is the dire need of the hour.

Regrettably, hitherto our prehensile rulers have miserably failed to provide quality education ambiance to the masses—teeming with “retrogressive and conservative celebration”. Our literacy rate is 58% as per the statistics of the government of Pakistan. This is way behind than that of the developed countries. Even in so many countries in South Asia, we are lingering behind disproportionately. Moreover, our neighbour country India possesses a 74% literacy rate while Sri Lanka stands at 90%. Pakistan, unfortunately, ranks at the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children with approximately 22.8 million in the age bracket of five to 16 years old. All these above-mentioned ingredients/factors highlight the deplorable and deteriorating condition of the education system in our country particularly.

To conclude, there is a pressing and desperate need for a strong and effective education system to impart quality and better education to the citizens of Pakistan and the government should ensure its shouldered responsibilities by also augmenting the budget for education. Teachers play a vital and significant role in moulding any education system. Specific and particular attention must be provided to the teachers on their training vocation. In this way, we will be able to equip our succeeding generations with the required skills to subdue all the problems and challenges.

Moreover, by education, we will be able to overcome our ignorance—which can have baleful and negative repercussions on individuals and societies.

USAMA MUGHAL,

Sindh.