EDITORIAL (May 11, 2011) : The Steering Committee of Sindh Education Department has decided to delay the summer vacations by a month to July/August, as announced by provincial Minister for Education and Literacy, Sindh, Pir Mazharul Haq. The decision has been reportedly taken after the committee received suggestions from various quarters to include the month of Ramazan in the vacations. The schools are now set to reopen after Eid-ul-Fitr.
The decision which has come towards the end of a school year demonstrates the typical impulsive and reactive attitude which has become the hallmark of almost every institution of this country. Such decisions are viable only when taken during emergency situations, such as when, in October 2010, the Sindh government made changes to the academic calendar of schools in affected areas in the wake of the devastating floods of 2010. But to make such ad hoc decisions to cater to the demands of the few who wish the schools closed during Ramazan brings more consternation than relief to all involved. Additionally, now that the chairpersons of all Karachi educational boards have stated that all examinations will end within May, one is baffled to understand the practicality of keeping the students in school for an additional month.
Owing to the extremely hot summers of Pakistan, vacations in this part of the year are a period which most Pakistanis, especially in the plains, look forward to. This argument gains more significance when one puts it in the perspective of the security situation of the country. The daily routine of the common people has become uncertain with recurrent bomb attacks and targeted killings. Vacations are a time which people avail to remove themselves from the daily mental stress and find some respite; they plan their vacations ahead owing to the more affordable travel and accommodation rates available, if booked in advance. This 11th hour change in summer vacations schedule will affect the plans of not only the students and their families but also the academic and management staff of the schools. Cancellation charges will add to their misery.
One does not wish to challenge the premise of this decision. However, it is fair to ask why the issue of Ramazan falling in August was not considered while planning the school year, especially when the lunar calendar is always available to determine the month of Ramazan, with a margin of only a day or two? This decision - which has come less than one month before the vacations were due to begin - should have been made either at the beginning of the school year or implemented from next year. This way those involved in the education sector could have had a clear schedule ahead of them, leaving them open to make their plans accordingly.
The casual attitude towards education is reflected in the statistics that the country spends a mere 1.5 percent of its budget on education, while up to 60 percent of the amount allotted to the provinces for education goes unspent. With such dismal numbers, it is no wonder that in March of this year, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the Co-Chair of Pakistan Education Task Force Shehnaz Wazir Ali declared an "education emergency" in the country. But the declaration and subsequent media attention alone cannot solve this massive problem that the nation has accumulated over the years.
It will take a long-term strategy to effectively achieve a massive overhaul of the education sector. However, the education departments can do well to not add to the woes of the common people by ensuring that all education-related decisions are planned and executed in a systematic and organised way.
The decision which has come towards the end of a school year demonstrates the typical impulsive and reactive attitude which has become the hallmark of almost every institution of this country. Such decisions are viable only when taken during emergency situations, such as when, in October 2010, the Sindh government made changes to the academic calendar of schools in affected areas in the wake of the devastating floods of 2010. But to make such ad hoc decisions to cater to the demands of the few who wish the schools closed during Ramazan brings more consternation than relief to all involved. Additionally, now that the chairpersons of all Karachi educational boards have stated that all examinations will end within May, one is baffled to understand the practicality of keeping the students in school for an additional month.
Owing to the extremely hot summers of Pakistan, vacations in this part of the year are a period which most Pakistanis, especially in the plains, look forward to. This argument gains more significance when one puts it in the perspective of the security situation of the country. The daily routine of the common people has become uncertain with recurrent bomb attacks and targeted killings. Vacations are a time which people avail to remove themselves from the daily mental stress and find some respite; they plan their vacations ahead owing to the more affordable travel and accommodation rates available, if booked in advance. This 11th hour change in summer vacations schedule will affect the plans of not only the students and their families but also the academic and management staff of the schools. Cancellation charges will add to their misery.
One does not wish to challenge the premise of this decision. However, it is fair to ask why the issue of Ramazan falling in August was not considered while planning the school year, especially when the lunar calendar is always available to determine the month of Ramazan, with a margin of only a day or two? This decision - which has come less than one month before the vacations were due to begin - should have been made either at the beginning of the school year or implemented from next year. This way those involved in the education sector could have had a clear schedule ahead of them, leaving them open to make their plans accordingly.
The casual attitude towards education is reflected in the statistics that the country spends a mere 1.5 percent of its budget on education, while up to 60 percent of the amount allotted to the provinces for education goes unspent. With such dismal numbers, it is no wonder that in March of this year, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the Co-Chair of Pakistan Education Task Force Shehnaz Wazir Ali declared an "education emergency" in the country. But the declaration and subsequent media attention alone cannot solve this massive problem that the nation has accumulated over the years.
It will take a long-term strategy to effectively achieve a massive overhaul of the education sector. However, the education departments can do well to not add to the woes of the common people by ensuring that all education-related decisions are planned and executed in a systematic and organised way.
Source: Business Recorder,11 May 2011
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