MQM Manifesto 1998

2- EDUCATION

In today’s world, education is the basic and most important factor to achieve progress for a nation. Well-educated nations in the world enjoy dominance over other nations. Nations lacking in education cannot achieve advancement. It is deplorable that since the inception of Pakistan successive governments paid very little attention to education. Even today the country's budget provides meagre sums for education, and as a result more than 70 percent of the population of our country has remained illiterate.

If we desire to see Pakistan a developed, prosperous and dignified country then we have to make full use of our resources and ensure education is made available to every citizen as without education no one can expect the country to be progressive and prosperous.

MQM also wants to make education easily available throughout the country by making full use of all the available resources on an emergency basis, whereby within five years the rate of literacy could be enhanced, to at least 70 percent. This target is not impossible. With determination and good intentions desired results can be achieved. Korea and some other under-developed countries are a good example to follow. In this connection MQM wants to take the following steps:

• In all towns and villages a network of schools and colleges needs to be set-up and for this purpose not only should government resources be utilised on a large scale but also non-governmental organisations and other private sector institutions should be encouraged in setting up the educational institutions throughout the country. With a view to achieving this objective, mutual co-operation among such organisations and institutions should be organised by forming a common platform under the government's supervision and help.
  

• By granting more powers and providing enhanced resources to the elected local bodies their role in the education, up to primary and secondary level should be increased and the framework and scope of these institutions to be enlarged and used to full potential.
  

• As an additional step, the federal and provincial governments should provide grants to the elected local bodies. The education up to primary level should be made compulsory and free; and all the textbooks should be provided free of cost to primary students.
  

• The prices of secondary and higher education textbooks need to be considerably reduced, so as to enable even the poor families to meet the expenditure on education with less burden. The educated people in general and youth in particular should be encouraged to form voluntary organisations to help and launch a crusade against illiteracy and campaign to ensure education for all.
  

• Allocation in the budget for education to be increased adequately to achieve these goals.
  

• Private educational institutions need to be encouraged to ensure their educational standards and by making legislation so as to upgrade and not allow them to become only businesses and profit making organisations. Merit should be the predominant factor in selection as MQM considers that education is a social service and should not become a trade.
  

• A net work of libraries should be established in all the cities and towns of the country. These libraries should be linked with each other through a well-connected system, including mobile libraries for the villages outside urban areas, to provide benefit to rural areas.
  

• MQM wishes to establish new universities, colleges, medical colleges, engineering colleges, technical institutes and other higher educational institutions in accordance with the increasing need of the population in a systematic and planned manner, on a regular basis.
  

• The present distribution of grants, given by the University Grants Commission to the universities of the country should be made fair and equitable.
  

• In every part of the country, especially in villages, towns and small cities, more and more vocational training centres should be established so that the younger generation and women can acquire useful skills.
  

• Special measures must be taken to develop scientific research and in this regard the private sector should be encouraged in an organised manner.
  

ELIMINATION OF DUAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

The educational system of our country suffers from dual standards. In our country, advance education seems to be the right of children belonging to the rich ruling elite and bureaucrats, while the education system and the facilities for the middle class and down trodden people are that of second and third grade. Education for the rural population has been made difficult where it is considered to be the right of the children of feudal and tribal lords only.

MQM believes that no one should be deprived of a good standard of education and therefore, we have to abolish this dual system of education and standardise the education system throughout the country. MQM believes that whilst Pakistan belongs to all, then why is the educational standard for all Pakistanis not equal?

Unfortunately, the fees and expenditure of a good standard school is beyond the reach of the 98 percent poor and middle class people. The standard of education of the schools where the children of 98 percent poor and middle class receive their education is extremely backward in comparison with private and grammar schools and other schools.

MQM wants the education standards of government and municipal schools where the 98 percent of poor and middle class people of the country send their children for education to be raised to the standard of Grammar Schools. This is not beyond the realm of possibilities because MQM as an experiment has made some municipal schools in Karachi on an equal footing with top class schools.

MQM understands that to raise the standard of education, the method of appointment of teachers and increase in their salaries is vital. MQM wants to bring the pay scale of the teachers to a level that not only the good and qualified teachers are easily available but they should also feel proud in joining the teaching profession and enjoy a comfortable standard of living. In order to achieve this objective the teachers should be graded separately from other government employees.

It is necessary to point out here that government affairs and its administration are being conducted in the English language. In our country, owing to the dual educational system, the medium of instruction is usually in two languages. In State schools from primary level onwards the medium of instructions is usually Urdu, commonly known as Urdu Medium Schools. Whereas in good quality, expensive and private schools the medium for instructions is always English, these schools are termed as English Medium Schools. Invariably, the government and administrative jobs go to the people who have knowledge of English and for top positions only those people are appointed who have fluency in English language. The majority of the population in the country gets its education in Urdu language and does not know the English language at all or certainly does not have the fluency in English language. For this reason a great majority of the population is deprived of applying for top jobs despite the fact that they are quite capable of carrying out the functions. They are deprived of these positions because of the dual standards of the education system. In order to involve the majority of the public in all modes of administration so they can participate in the running of the country, the dual standards of education has to be eliminated. The medium of education should be the same in English medium schools and Urdu medium schools with a view to getting rid of the superiority which the English medium schools have taken for granted over the Urdu medium schools. Having removed the difference between the Urdu and English medium schools, MQM wants to introduce an education system where all citizens participate equally without any sense of deprivation so they can utilise their abilities to the full and everyone would have the right to qualify and hold any suitable position.