Muhammad Khan is an integral member of our team. Although not ‘literate’ in the conventional sense of the word or ‘educated’ by the standards of the privileged few, he has the brilliance and motivation to handle perhaps the most radical section of our magazine: ‘Opinions of the Oppressed’.
“To educate basically means to teach so that the natural abilities of children are enhanced and they attain wisdom to utilize these abilities. It is not only the syllabus that plays an important role in a child’s education process, practical upbringing and code of ethics based on good thoughts and manners are also of equal importance. Children should be encouraged to follow a code of conduct because most families rely solely on school education for their development. Given the moral and intellectual decline of our society and our insensitivity towards it, I feel that schools have failed to teach morality to our children. All these problems are the result of a deficient system of ‘check-and-balance’ in the relevant government organizations.”
Akram Essa – Driver
“Although education teaches children to distinguish between good and bad, it does not provide them enough opportunities to practise this, therefore, they fail to inspire a struggle against social evils. However, children from institutions where such struggle is encouraged are better aware of the social problems and participate in eliminating them. For example, children in our schools are always told to keep their environment clean but when they throw litter on the floor, nobody tells them to clean it. This is how their education remains unattained. Nevertheless, those children who get an opportunity to practise these things at school develop good habits which reflect in the society as well. If children get opportunities to apply their learnings, society can get rid of evils.”
Sadia Adeeb and Saima Maheen - Teachers
“Undoubtedly, our school education can enable children to differentiate between good and bad and encourage them to struggle against social injustice. However, along with school education we also need to pay attention to their upbringing and provide them a healthy environment at home. Before choosing a school for children, parents should take into account the standard of education being imparted because some schools are only making money in the name of education.”
Ubaid Yadi Khan – Proprietor
“In my view, school is a place where we learn to differentiate between good and bad. But unfortunately, our schools limit education to syllabus only. Only a few schools are doing justice to education, otherwise 75% of them consider syllabus as education and nothing beyond that. In fact when the schools do not even teach syllabus properly, what else can we expect? Our schools are not providing the education that could help an individual become a good and complete human being. We need to improve our school system so that our future generations could benefit from it.”
Shehnaz Parveen Khaskhali – Teacher
“Parents and teachers have a key role in children’s upbringing and education. Children learn from educational institutions and if they are educated then only can they distinguish between good and bad and rise against social injustice. If a child is being educated by a good and credible teacher, whose character is an example for him to follow, only then awareness regarding social issues arises. Because of being poor, when our children are admitted in public schools, they are treated very badly. The environment of these institutions facilitates them to become criminals rather than good citizens. Children from rich families attend private schools and get higher status in society while poor children suffer from inferiority complex and cannot do much as nobody listens to them.”
Nizamuddin – Driver
“Yes, our children can struggle against social evils and distinguish between good and bad because our school education prepares them for it. Our children need to follow what they are taught in school and also learn from their parents.”
Abdul Shakoor – Salesman
“Our schools provide neither the education nor the upbringing to help our children participate in the struggle against social injustice. If schools provide better education and if teachers pay proper attention to children, hopefully they would emerge as good citizens of the society.”
Aftab Khan – Waiter
“Our schools are imparting education to promote social goods in society. If our children follow what they are taught in school, they can surely stand up against social evils of the society. It is also the parents’ responsibility to help children distinguish between good and bad.”
Ahsan Mohammed – Student
“Yes, our children can struggle against social evils but along with schools parents should also encourage them to be more socially aware. Struggle against social evils should be a part of our education system and taught both at school and home. Only then will our children be able to fight for social justice.”
Nawab Zaid Khan – Clerk
“Yes our schools provide children with the kind of education that enables them to distinguish between good and bad and to fight against social evils and injustice. If we are moral citizens then our society will also be just and there will be no place for social evils. It is only possible when we lead a life based on what is taught to us in schools and what our religion teaches us.”
Abdus Salam – Shopkeeper
“I think the only purpose of school education is to complete the syllabus and pass the examinations. The aim of teaching in our schools is to make children pass their exams. As far as social evils and injustices are concerned, our children are not even aware of these terms because school teachers do not educate children about these issues. Our government should develop a curriculum that helps children grow morally and become aware of social issues. If this happens, our country would get rid of social evils and be able to progress.”
Samina Siddiqi – Teacher
“Education imparted in our schools, particularly the government schools, does not contribute to develop such attributes in children that make them socially aware. Along with education children also need proper upbringing. After a child’s home, school is the place where s/he learns moral and social values. Education is not rote memorization of text books but a combination of upbringing, action, yearning, determination, confidence, hard work and love. However, in our schools, education denotes business and profit motives, torture, irresponsibility and hypocrisy. So in the given context our schools do not help the children develop any social abilities and responsibilities.”
Sobia Sarwat – Teacher
