INTRODUCTION:
What is Education System?
The system of education includes all institutions that are involved in delivering formal
education (public and private, for-profit and nonprofit, onsite or virtual instruction) and their
faculties, students, physical infrastructure, resources and rules. In a broader definition the
system also includes the institutions that are directly involved in financing, managing,
operating or regulating such institutions (like government ministries and regulatory bodies,
central testing organizations, textbook boards and accreditation boards). The rules and
regulations that guide the individual and institutional interactions within the set up are also part
of the education system.
Education has become a business in Pakistan. Establishing a private school offers a great
opportunity for those looking to earn money. The students and their parents are pulled into this
overpriced trap because they think sending their children to private schools would brighten
their future prospects. However, as the popularity of a school grows, their aims change. Schools
which were originally established for the purpose of providing education, are sidetracked and
shift their aims to making as much money as possible. After building a decent repute, the
schools increase their tuition fee. And in order to retain their repute, they would increase the
salary of their teachers, but still keeping an increased profit margin.
Despite high fee structures, they fail to provide appropriate facilities. The science labs do not
have the necessary equipment to conduct experiments, the computer labs do not have enough
facilities, and so on. Even the quality of education is compromised by not employing better
teachers because they would ask for higher salaries.
While the owners of these schools continue to mint money, they are seriously jeopardising the
fate of the students. We are aware of this situation and yet we do not do anything. The nation
is being looted and yet we remain silent. Education has become a cruel business and yet we do
not protest. Nothing will happen unless we take a step.
Primary education
Only 87% of Pakistani children finish primary school education.[14] The standard national
system of education is mainly inspired from the British system. Pre-school education is
designed for 3–5 years old and usually consists of three stages: Play
Group, Nursery and Kindergarten (also called 'KG' or 'Prep'). After pre-school education,
students go through junior school from grades 1 to 5. This is followed by middle school from
grades 6 to 8. At middle school, single-sex education is usually preferred by the community,
but co-education is also common in urban cities.
Secondary education
Secondary education in Pakistan begins from grade 9 and lasts for four years. After end of each
of the school years, students are required to pass a national examination administered by a
regional Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (or BISE).
Religion and education
Education in Pakistan is heavily influenced by religion. For instance, one study of Pakistani
science teachers showed that many rejected evolution based on religious grounds.[66] However,
most of the Pakistani teachers who responded to the study (14 out of 18) either accepted or
considered the possibility of the evolution of living organisms, although nearly all Pakistani
science teachers rejected human evolution because they believed that ‘human beings did not
evolve from monkeys.’ This is a major misconception and incorrect interpretation of
the science of evolution, but according to the study it is a common one among many Pakistani
teachers. Although many of the teachers rejected the evolution of humans, " all agreed that
there is ‘no contradiction between science and Islam’ in general".
Literacy rate by Province
Literacy rate[67]
Province
1972 1981 1998 2017 (awaiting census results)
Punjab 20.7% 27.4% 46.56% 58%
Sindh 30.2% 31.5% 45.29% 58%
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 15.5% 16.7% 35.41% 88.6%
Balochistan 10.1% 10.3% 26.6% 41%
EDUCATION AS BUSINESS
Education is a business. Students are customers. I realize that your opinion is probably already
on one side or another of this particular set of concepts. While I think that most of us would
like to say that people pay for higher education to experience the joy of learning, the reality of
the systems that make up higher education is that people go to school to pay the bills.
Individuals attend a college or university as a means to an end. In a global environment where
goods and services cost money, education is often the best way to increase one's financial
standing. Students pay for their degrees. Degrees are often paid for via a credit arrangement in
the form of financial aid. Debt is part of the process. It reminds me of buying car. The bank
provides a loan to cover the cost and the car's cost is acceptable due to its overall utility and
value.
In higher education, we often thumb our noses at those who would call our industry a
"business." Plus, for a lot of student affairs practitioners and faculty, the premise of students as
"customers" is taken with a bitterness similar to ingesting a cough syrup. However, it's time to
wake up from our collective hypocrisy when it comes to the business to which we contribute.
Money is exchanged, debt is incurred, and a valuable asset in the form of a degree, certificate,
or badge is obtained.
Certain components of the business of higher education are readily identified. Admissions is
the sales team. Athletics (at least for the major money sports) are a never-ending cash cow,
brand vehicle, and alumni-giving machine. Academic advising and residence life are the
customer service centers. Academic programs are the product...the most valuable product that
schools offer.
Now, this is probably going to rile some folks up. I get it. We call advising "teaching" and
student affairs is all about "student development." Well, I suppose it all calls for a bit of nuance.
In a traditionally-aged collegiate environment, development is essential. After all, most young
people are still caught up in a maturation process that will involve a lot of dissonance. Keeping
those folks at our schools, often called "retention" and "engagement" is quite similar to what
businesses do when they try to retain their customers. This is why we sometimes try really hard
to retain students (and increase an overall campus retention percentage) even if our particular
program or school isn't a good fit for all.
I know, it's all a bit of semantics. However, calling ourselves anything but a business seems
unfair and untrue. Students pay a great deal for the product that is higher education.
Shouldn't we acknowledge that non-profit status is really a financial boon for a massive system
of businesses? Heck, when the for-profit industry came "on the scene," they went after profits
with a cutthroat set of tactics and actions that were straight out of a business playbook. Non-
profits have long-benefitted from state funding, federal grants, and years of not having to pay
taxes. It makes sense that the business practices of non-profit colleges and universities vary
quite a lot from their for-profit competitors. The nature of "the game" has changed. For-profit
universities, non-profit universities, community colleges, workforce education programs,
competency-based learning initiatives, the rise of badges, and the spread of online learning are
all part of this "business" that we call higher education.
When I enrolled at Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) in Ottumwa, Iowa, it was due to
a single conceit: I didn't want to spend the rest of my life doing manual labor to earn a living.
I believed that a college degree (I went to the University of Northern Iowa after earning an
associate degree at IHCC) was the answer to being able to pursue a career where I would get
paid for my thoughts and ideas. The most-expensive things that I have ever purchased have
been my college degrees. They are also the most-valuable "products" that I have ever
purchased. My degrees involved several businesses, and in my case, a very happy customer.
Global Education as Business
As Thomas Friedman argued in The World is Flat, globalization has, to some extent, leveled
the economic playing field. The robust growth of international trade certainly calls for a more
standardized way of doing business. Education is no exception. As the economies of
developing nations emerge–specifically those referred to as BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and
China) nations, the demand for education–especially at the tertiary level, has multiplied
dramatically.
Within the past nine years, there has been a 53 percent enrollment increase just within higher
education. It is currently estimated that there are 153 million university students worldwide
(Labi, 2009). Many multi-national and private companies have stepped in to fill this need
spawning dramatic growth in the educational private sector. Indeed, UNESCO identifies
private higher education institutions as the fastest growing sector worldwide(Altbach,
Reisburg, Rumbley, 2009).
To the entrepreneurial mind, with new challenges arise new opportunities to create profit. In
the case of for-profit education organizations, the mission should not only be one of adding to
bottom lines, but also a responsibility in crafting a 21st century workforce.
Creating a 21st century workforce requires teaching 21st century skills. This 21st century skill-
set must include the ability to solve multifaceted problems by thinking creatively and
generating original ideas from multiple sources of information (Silva, 2008). Several
multinational national companies, such as Pearson and McGraw-Hill, are familiar with both
the need for a 21st century work force, and the demand to create one.
While Pearson and McGraw-Hill are not educational companies, as publishing companies they
provide supplemental and related educational services. A brief look at these two corporations
gives insight as to how private companies identify and expand ways to profit within the
educational sector. By looking specifically at the mission statements of these two companies,
we see how they recognize the roll the education as vital to their own success, while
simultaneously trying to create demand for their services.
5 Ways to Improve Your Education System
Put Students First
Schools are first and foremost safe environments where students should grow, learn, and thrive.
Putting the priorities of kids first helps teachers and administrators prove to students how
important their engagement with learning is. A survey conducted by Youth Truth found only
one in three students believe their school culture is positive.
Host student-led conferences. Ask the students to fill out a brief reflection sheet about their
academic, social, and emotional progress. Encourage them to write down a few ways their
families and teachers can help them be successful in the classroom. Some question ideas
include: What do you like that is happening in your school/classroom? What changes would
you make in your effort or in your teacher’s instructional practices? How do you feel about
your peers? What are some of your favorite learning activities/subjects? What do you do when
you feel stressed out? Do you feel supported? Encourage older students to lead the conference.
Early learners can be prompted to answer questions.
Begin monthly classroom improvement meetings. Place an improvement box in your
classroom. Encourage students to write down ideas about changes they feel could improve
relationships, academic success, and the overall positive vibe in the classroom. Every month,
pull out the box and sit in a circle. Discuss the ideas and put some of their plans into action.
Change your classroom environment. Instead of putting desks in rows, switch it up! How can
you and your students design the classroom to emphasize peer-to-peer collaboration,
movement, and flexibility? Some ideas include putting student desks in groups, investing in
communal tables, and creating a wonder-wall in the classroom where students can post
questions they have before, during, and after inquiry projects.
Foster Independence
Let your students lead the way. Teaching students to persevere through challenging situations
is a quality that will help them succeed in the future. Carol Dweck, a Stanford psychology
professor who coined the phrase growth mindset, says “when children are praised for the
process they engage in — their hard work, their strategies, their focus, their persistence — then
they remain motivated learners. They’re more likely to take on challenges and thrive in the
face of difficulty.”
Set aside time for passion projects. Research shows that interest drives learning. Give
students time for passion projects where they must dig deep to find answers to questions
they’ve always wondered about. For example, if a student is interested in how plastic affects
marine life, he can search through books, online resources, and interview a local marine
biologist. Passion projects are also a perfect opportunity to use parents as support. Encourage
them to come in and speak about their career!
Connect with local businesses. Provide students with ample opportunities to interact with the
community. Community-based field trips help early learners make sense of the world around
them. For older students, consider offering part-time, interest-based internships. Some ideas
include helping at restaurants, pet shelters, schools, local farms, and environmental agencies.
Be a “guide on the side.” Becoming a facilitator takes practice. When your students partake
in independent or group work, let them work through problems they face instead of jumping
in and saving them. This not only promotes critical thinking skills, but also gives you time to
document student learning and hand ownership over to your class. Instead of interrupting
students as they collaborate, use a non-intrusive approach and jot down your feedback on a
sticky note.
Model Collaboration
If you want your students to work as a team, you must teach them how! Effective teams
challenge each other to take risks and try new approaches. Most importantly, successful
collaboration includes healthy conflict. Here are a few ways to grow your collaborative
learning community.
Get together. Dedicate time for planning at least once or twice a month with a few teachers that
teach the same grade or speciality area. Discuss the standards you’re covering, challenges
you’re facing, and successful ideas you’ve put into action. Be honest, vulnerable, and
appreciative of feedback.
Participate in multi-age classroom projects. Design a few multi-age projects throughout the
year, working with a younger or older class. Multi-age learning helps older students master
foundational skills by teaching them and also allows teachers to see the fluidity across grade
levels.
Use technology to share ideas. Create websites through Google Site or Blogger for each grade
level as a go-to place for educational resources, including units and lesson plans.
Teach Tolerance
Celebrate diversity. Schools must provide an inclusive environment for all learners, no matter
what gender, race, religion, or culture. How can you teach tolerance?
Find multicultural literature. Look at your classroom library. Does it include books that feature
main characters of different races, religions, genders, and cultures? If not, check out library
bag sales and local thrift shops for stories to add to your collection that feature a diverse range
of characters, situations, and issues.
Expose students to multiple perspectives. Teaching about the wars going on in Syria? Include
credible articles, websites, and interviews from multiple perspectives. Holding civil discourse
and discussing challenging real-world events will help students recognize that there is never a
simple answer. This recognition transfers to having empathy for diverse peers in the classroom.
Host a Cultural Day. Ask your students to create a project about their family’s culture. Some
ideas include religious background, holidays, traditions, rituals, family history, sacred objects
and more. Dedicate a day for students to present their projects and ask the students to bring in
a food dish to pass.
Begin a Mindset Monday
Starting the week on a positive note will make a difference school-wide. Facilitate a
conversation with your administration about a short, five-minute meeting once a week or twice
a month. Encourage staff, students, and administration to take turns sharing inspirational
quotes, guided breathing exercises, and positive highlights from past weeks
By implementing some of these simple practices, the staff and students at your school will
notice the positive benefits in no time!
Put Students First
Schools are first and foremost safe environments where students should grow, learn, and
thrive. Putting the priorities of kids first helps teachers and administrators prove to students
how important their engagement with learning is. A survey conducted by Youth Truth found
only one in three students believe their school culture is positive.
Host student-led conferences.
Ask the students to fill out a brief reflection sheet about their academic, social, and
emotional progress. Encourage them to write down a few ways their families and teachers
can help them be successful in the classroom. Some question ideas include: What do you
like that is happening in your school/classroom? What changes would you make in your
effort or in your teacher’s instructional practices? How do you feel about your peers? What
are some of your favorite learning activities/subjects? What do you do when you feel
stressed out? Do you feel supported? Encourage older students to lead the conference.
Early learners can be prompted to answer questions.
Begin monthly classroom improvement meetings. Place an improvement box in your
classroom. Encourage students to write down ideas about changes they feel could improve
relationships, academic success, and the overall positive vibe in the classroom. Every
month, pull out the box and sit in a circle. Discuss the ideas and put some of their plans into
action.
Change your classroom environment. Instead of putting desks in rows, switch it up! How
can you and your students design the classroom to emphasize peer-to-peer collaboration,
movement, and flexibility? Some ideas include putting student desks in groups, investing
in communal tables, and creating a wonder-wall in the classroom where students can post
questions they have before, during, and after inquiry projects.
Foster Independence
Let your students lead the way. Teaching students to persevere through challenging situations
is a quality that will help them succeed in the future. Carol Dweck, a Stanford psychology
professor who coined the phrase growth mindset, says “when children are praised for
the process they engage in — their hard work, their strategies, their focus, their persistence —
then they remain motivated learners. They’re more likely to take on challenges and thrive in the
face of difficulty.”
Set aside time for passion projects. Research shows that interest drives learning. Give
students time for passion projects where they must dig deep to find answers to questions
they’ve always wondered about. For example, if a student is interested in how plastic
affects marine life, he can search through books, online resources, and interview a local
marine biologist. Passion projects are also a perfect opportunity to use parents as support.
Encourage them to come in and speak about their career!
Connect with local businesses. Provide students with ample opportunities to interact with
the community. Community-based field trips help early learners make sense of the world
around them. For older students, consider offering part-time, interest-based internships.
Some ideas include helping at restaurants, pet shelters, schools, local farms, and
environmental agencies.
Be a “guide on the side.” Becoming a facilitator takes practice. When your students
partake in independent or group work, let them work through problems they face instead
of jumping in and saving them. This not only promotes critical thinking skills, but also
gives you time to document student learning and hand ownership over to your class. Instead
of interrupting students as they collaborate, use a non-intrusive approach and jot down your
feedback on a sticky note.
Model Collaboration
If you want your students to work as a team, you must teach them how! Effective teams
challenge each other to take risks and try new approaches. Most importantly, successful
collaboration includes healthy conflict. Here are a few ways to grow your collaborative learning
community.
Get together. Dedicate time for planning at least once or twice a month with a few teachers
that teach the same grade or speciality area. Discuss the standards you’re covering,
challenges you’re facing, and successful ideas you’ve put into action. Be honest,
vulnerable, and appreciative of feedback.
Participate in multi-age classroom projects. Design a few multi-age projects throughout
the year, working with a younger or older class. Multi-age learning helps older students
master foundational skills by teaching them and also allows teachers to see the fluidity
across grade levels.
Use technology to share ideas. Create websites through Google Site or Blogger for each
grade level as a go-to place for educational resources, including units and lesson plans.
Teach Tolerance
Celebrate diversity. Schools must provide an inclusive environment for all learners, no matter
what gender, race, religion, or culture. How can you teach tolerance?
Find multicultural literature. Look at your classroom library. Does it include books that
feature main characters of different races, religions, genders, and cultures? If not, check out
library bag sales and local thrift shops for stories to add to your collection that feature a
diverse range of characters, situations, and issues.
Expose students to multiple perspectives. Teaching about the wars going on in Syria?
Include credible articles, websites, and interviews from multiple perspectives. Holding civil
discourse and discussing challenging real-world events will help students recognize that
there is never a simple answer. This recognition transfers to having empathy for diverse
peers in the classroom.
Host a Cultural Day. Ask your students to create a project about their family’s culture.
Some ideas include religious background, holidays, traditions, rituals, family history,
sacred objects and more. Dedicate a day for students to present their projects and ask the
students to bring in a food dish to pass.
Begin a Mindset Monday
Starting the week on a positive note will make a difference school-wide. Facilitate a
conversation with your administration about a short, five-minute meeting once a week or twice
a month. Encourage staff, students, and administration to take turns sharing inspirational quotes,
guided breathing exercises, and positive highlights from past weeks.
By implementing some of these simple practices, the staff and students at your school will notice
the positive benefits in no time!
CONCLUSION
Parents nowadays are investing hell lot of money in getting a good education for their children.
Education has become a medium to bluff people with an assurance of getting a highly qualified
white collar jobs. Over increasing population and cut throat Competitions are the key reasons
why the quality is degrading and commeralization is at its par. Majority of the Schools,
Colleges, Coaching Centres and various Others Educational Institutions are working with a
sole purpose of hoarding as much as students possible in their institutions and charging hefty
amount of fees. This are few reasons why Education has become a business nowadays
