Like the planets orbit the sun in a celestial dance, we humans orbit around our need to make a livelihood. Like moths, we all frolic around our breadwinning notions, some getting their rightful glow whilst others get burnt in the process. Pakistan’s estimated population in 2015 is over 191.71 million, making it the world’s sixth-most-populous country, behind Brazil and ahead of Nigeria; out of which 37.5% lie between the ages 25 and 54 years of age. This huge strata of people not only makeup for the major chunk of those in need for employment but also are the force that turns the wheels of this nation. A country that has its oldest slogan deeply embedded under the name of food cloth and shelter, yet we struggle to meet the basic necessities of life. One of the hugest atrocities faced by this country is that of unemployment. In our court today, stand two parties, one is the education itself whilst the other is the system of education that we have in our country.
Our education system comprised of a macabre mix of unskilled teachers, old teaching methodologies, lack of funds for educational budgets, and an overall neglect to develop better educational policies, which creates a deadly concoction that a single sip causes dormancy of the mind and corruption of the developing mind. A child is like a seed ,which if nurtured well grows into a lovely flower, but the devious brought up can lead it to grow into a thorny poison ivy. Teachers are not only fed up of their own lives but also are so caught up in their own muddles that they ignore the problems of their students. In rural areas, the idea of beating or physical abuse is very common and this not only creates sense of hatred towards the knowledge giver but indirectly throws a black stain on the idea of education itself in the mind of the child. Any inquisitive child is seen as a ‘ trouble maker’ and discouraged at a very early age which not only suppresses the child’s desire to grow his inquisitive side thus bringing a stop to any mental development that may be needed to nurture the young mind. In most government institutions there is no concept of creativity and most children are treated like robots, mind feeding them with the same lines as they are fed into their heads like a senseless batter, that they may recite on command but their mind will process none at all. Any individuality and creativity is shunned as there is one requirement of this educational system, to cram what is said without any reason or questionability. Word to word writing and memorization is encouraged and self added information is labelled as irrelevant and readily discarded.
After nearly two decades in this tedious educational system, a person exits as a zombie, who has no mental capabilities except to copy paste in their minds what is written on paper. They know the words, they know the mechanisms by heart but the concept is blurry as a blind man in their brains. They know their words but are unable to form a poem , for they have never been taught to shape but only to gather flowers but not to form them into grand bouquets. Like a deaf man, on whose eardrums symphonies play but his brain is unable to process that information. Now after all that monstrosities, then they are faced with the dilemma of finding a job and to provide for their families. The biggest monster that lays like a thorny barrier in their way is that of references, in this educational system if you belong to a well-off family or are related to any politically strong person or a financially strong person, you get the in sign as soon as the company sees that how useful your reference can be to them. Another ironic dilemma is that our employers want us to have ridiculous amounts of experience, I mean how in the wild goose chase can a person be a 28 year old with 8 years of experience. It is not even possible to graduate at the age of 20 and they expect you to hold 8 years of expertise like a trophy in your hands. For this absurd desire of our employer to be fulfilled, one needs to learn the art of turning back the clocks of time or to time travel so one can buy time to get employment.
Since the beginning of time, man has needed a guide, a light to show them the path and to prevent them from going astray. Similarly, a lack of career advisors is another reason that 90% of our youth is off in pursuit of careers that are not meant to be for them, neither compatible with their interests nor required for there is already a saturation in those fields. Most of these youth will have one answer for you when questioned to why have they chosen this field; ‘because their parents wanted them to become a doctor/engineer’. You see I say this out in words clear as crystal, one can only work where their heart is. There is a dire need to make children realize that they have a right to chose whatever profession they want and to educate their families that all professions are worthy of respect and bring sufficient money if the right effort is put into it. Careers are like bows and arrows, if rightly guided, then they will hit the target, irrespective of what color the arrowhead is.
So what will be your final verdict as the curtains fall? Education ,or education system what would be to blamed for the downfall of a huge portion of this country’s working force, as they work in positions underemployed, being paid meagre salaries as their children suffer. In a world of corruption and deception, where lies are bought in the weight of honesty and dreams are bargained at the rates of diplomatic policies. I will write this with a sturdy hand, never can I blame the education but always the system that creates barriers between the employer and the employee.
This essay won First Prize in Essay Contest 2015 which was arranged by Gold Falcon (A Project of XeCreators)
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