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DIALOGUE WITH EDUCATIONISTS
August 05, 2011
The luminaries of the education sector attending the dialogue called for updating the syllabus so that it could cater to the present day needs and norms of a democratic society by purging it of hate content and distortions in history books. They called for increasing budgetary allocations for literacy which were presently lowest in the region. Some of them said that the education policy has been hijacked by the private sector and it was now only serving a certain class and not the entire nation. In the absence of accountability, corruption has also crept even into the education sector, impairing the credibility of educational institutions, which needed to be restored through proper accountability and checking of political interference.
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In the hands of imaginative and enlightened people, the household waste can become veritable gold that can be used for launching literacy programmes and community welfare activities. The waste, obsolete and discarded material that often finds place in junkyards or store-rooms of houses, if provided to organizations being run by committed, dedicated and dynamic people can produce wonderful results. For instance, one such organization – Aabro Educational Foundation Lahore – is using funds generated from the recycling of waste material for providing education to 1800 students of the less privileged families. The waste material of one household, on an average, can support the year-long education expenses of one child, stated Ms. Rubina Qureshi of the Aabro Foundation.
Prime Minister, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, in appreciation of Aabro Foundation’s good work, announced a grant of one million rupees for Aabro Foundation’s educational projects. This amount is equal to one year’s current expenditure of this Foundation.
In his third interaction with notables of various professions, Prime Minister Gilani was addressing the educationists and persons engaged in promoting education, including through media channels, at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, in Islamabad, on August 1.Prime Minister Gillani said that the government attaches a high priority to education. Though the subject of education has been devolved to the provinces after adoption of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, the Federal Government would convene an education conference, in consultation with the provinces, to deliberate upon matters connected with education. In view of the serious internal and external challenges and to strengthen the federation, a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) would also be convened to discuss the possibility of having a uniform curriculum and syllabus across the country. He said, root causes of terrorism are illiteracy and emotionalism, which give rise to militancy; while promotion of literacy can help in curbing violence, extremism and terrorism. The child who loses his contact with book might eventually become a tool in the hands of terrorists, proving detrimental to the peace of the society.
Gillani expressed the hope that the suggestions of the luminaries affiliated with education, would help in curbing the ills of gun culture, extremism and terrorism and instead promote book culture in the society. When I see a book in the hands of a child, I feel very happy, but when I see the dirty hands of a child working at auto-workshops, I feel very sad. He said that some of the suggestions of the assemblage would find place in his speech to the nation on August 14.It has been indicated that Prime Minister Gillani has made up his mind on the basis of the outcome of the brainstorming that he would be giving extended national agenda on the auspicious day of August 14, covering medium and long-term planning, with a fresh thought for combating the menaces impeding the nation’s march forward. Prime Minister Gilani said that during his last visit to the UK, the British government has committed to give 650 million pounds for education. We have drawn-up plans to enroll four million new children in the schools. He also announced plans to open up public libraries, making a beginning with Islamabad.
The luminaries of the education sector attending the dialogue called for updating the syllabus so that it could cater to the present day needs and norms of a democratic society by purging it of hate content and distortions in history books. They called for increasing budgetary allocations for literacy which were presently lowest in the region. Some of them said that the education policy has been hijacked by the private sector and it was now only serving a certain class and not the entire nation. In the absence of accountability, corruption has also crept even into the education sector, impairing the credibility of educational institutions, which needed to be restored through proper accountability and checking of political interference.
Some participants underlined the need for making school-system children-friendly and also making co-curricular activities mandatory for all schools. If education is made a fun for students they would love to go to schools. Besides, linkages should be developed with the education and industry and former should invariably cater to the current market needs .Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said that the government was setting-up a Media University and it has also plans to strengthen the Mass Communication Departments of all Universities, making a beginning with Bahauddin Zakria University, Multan. When a participant pointed out that some media channels were furthering their own agenda and in the absence of media gate-keepers they were also airing the news of banned organizations, Information Minister stressed the need for a self-regulatory code of ethics for the media outfits. She pointed out that PEMRA had filed 400 cases in the courts of law, but the media channels had obtained stay orders from the courts. In view of Prime Minister Gilani’s efforts to steer the country towards peace, progress and prosperity, it is the need of the hour to counter negative perceptions lurking about the country. For example, negative perceptions, like corruption, poor security, uncertain political situation, bad law and order and militancy, are contributing to economic woes, reduction in foreign investments, unemployment and poverty.
Factors contributing to negative perceptions need to be identified for changing them into positive attributes through prompt remedial steps. State minions dealing with various subjects need to keep a tab on the brewing problems, suggest/take appropriate remedial steps so that those problems could be tackled before these brewed up into fully grown problems.
Sindh Prosperity Channel Presently
Pakistan is primarily using its road network for cargo traffic, the roads are clogging and vehicle transportation is becoming more costly. Therefore, the need for reviving an inland water channel, say from K.T. Bunder to Sukkur during the first phase, for container and barge traffic, with three container terminals located at Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad and Thatta. The proposed channel would cut down travelling time and fuel cost of goods destined for export. It will have a highway running on both sides of the channel and also Industrial Estates, interlaced with housing schemes, hospitals, schools and parks. Value added agriculture based industries and other export oriented industries will grow along its sides; attracting investment from within Pakistan as well as from abroad. The areas around this water way will become a magnet for export oriented processing industries, cutting down their logistic costs by close proximity to shipping lanes, and contribute substantially to employment generation and transformation of life in the interior Sindh.
State Funding of Political Parties
The success of political systems, in particular of its parliamentary form, largely depends on strong, organised and vibrant political parties. Unfortunately, most of the political parties in the country are weak in internal democracy, thereby invariably serving as power bases of the elite. There is lack of communication between party leaders, workers and members. The relative weakness of party branches often results in candidates being chosen by the central leadership according to wealth and influence of a prospective candidate. Furthermore, majority of political parties do not have adequately staffed secretariats and other requisite infrastructure to foster relations with public on a sustained basis or discharge functions in party development, governance, citizen participation and election process. In some cases, political parties accept foreign funding, becoming vulnerable to be used by donors for furthering their agenda. Since the very bedrock – the political parties – is weak, the system that is built over it remains feeble. In view of the crucial role that political parties play in the political process and also in shaping the life in a country, it is the need of the hour to strengthen mainstream political parties through partial funding by the State. Since workers are the linchpin of a political system, it is paramount that the political parties devise programmes for the capacity building of their workers and also draw up a Code of Ethics for the growth of the political system on healthy lines. Politicians and political parties may compete with each other, but they should refrain from mud-slinging and character assassination of the rivals or leveling of baseless allegations of corruption upon them because experience tells that such allegations have only been strengthening the hands of the despots. Before closing, it may be put on record that the dialogue participants were all praise for the meticulous arrangements made by the Cabinet Division for the travel, airport reception, board and lodging of the participants. They were unanimous that it was for the first time that such perfect arrangements were made by any entity of the government for its guest.
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