Inheritance of colonial education system in exchange for Koh-I-Noor
The reminiscing scent of colonialism is far more deep-rooted in Pakistani society than most of us would like to believe, and one can see it in things that are very often overlooked like social attitude, cultural attitude, and the education system. More than half of Pakistan’s 195 million population is under the age of 25 and with the lack of resources, the Pakistani Government has failed to develop a proper education system. Pakistan’s education system is divided into three main categories: Government schools, Private schools, and Madrassa. Private schools can further be classified into English and Urdu mediums. Aiming to shed light on the impact of colonialism this study explores the depths of the flaws in Pakistan’s education system. Additionally, it will illustrate how our people are divided by different social mindsets.
Catering to the long-standing problems such as difficulties in access, quality, and equal opportunities at specific stages; both primary and secondary additionally higher and vocational learning. There is almost zero coalition between the investment made in teachers and the infrastructure, hence the learning outcomes are minimal. We really need to deeply analyze the general perception of how Pakistan’s education system is trapped inside the colonial cage, stripping away the unity between countrymen and the educated.
In 1947, the subcontinent got its independence from the British Raj yet the strings of our colonizers still play puppets with our culture, education, and social position of Pakistan.
Background
The importance of education for each country by declaring it as a tool to generate skilled human resources. More than 195 million population of Pakistan is under the age of 25 and the majority of them are deprived of basic education; a consequence to social divisions. The educational background of Pakistan is representative of and a contribution to socio-economic disparity as well as ideological polarization in the country.
Also Read: Impact of Colonialism on English Language
English Language an agent of colonial invasion
The English language serves as the chief attribute at the top of the hierarchy ladder. One of the prime colonial policies of Lord Macaulay was to make English the superior language in colonized India; one of the many policies still followed by Pakistan’s education system today. Macauley’s idea broadcasts the British belief that wisdom only belongs to the one speaking fluent English. This draws a fine line of difference amongst the people of the subcontinent of that time; a topic still in discussion in Pakistan in the 2020s. This evidently fuels a league of English supremacy against a branch of society that has other languages as their education medium.
The education system introduced by the British lacked standardization an example of which would be how they did not abolish the Madrasas hence creating a dual educational system, hence pawns and misconceptions are created between students from each system: English medium, Urdu medium, and Madrasas, motivating them to treat each other with suspicion and hostility.
A tool of invasion or empowerment?
On the other hand, people of the subcontinent benefited from the British teaching the English language, considering it as an empowerment tool. Many British scholars think that it is due to western education that the people of Pakistan thought of gaining freedom, denoting that the ideas of liberalism and nationalism were penetrated by the intruding English language.
Some analysts suggested the inclusion of Pakistan’s education policy. The use of English as an additional bilingual facility alongside the simultaneous contest between Urdu and its competitor-English. English offers its services as the pivot of public education the inequality and division between urban English medium schools and schools with the same language medium but from an elite class, the disparity and difference would be vibrantly prominent signaling the flaws and failures of the classist society as a whole.
The subversion of the colonial rule in our lives today is haunting and dominant as English has become a prop for Pakistan to project itself as a state trying to reform itself and emerge as a modern society”.
In lieu of the mentioned perspectives, the presence of the English language offers both its benefits and disadvantages. The co-existence of Pakistani cultural languages along with English sheds light upon the barriers of differences not only on the basics of the language but on the imbalance amongst societal positions. The subversion of the British rule transcends the time passed since our independence and questions if whether we are loyal to our roots or are caught up in the desperation to achieve universal acclamation.
We have forgotten our own history amidst this vast deterioration. With the interest of the people of modern Pakistan, one can rewrite the history of our ancestors, to paint it as an Islamic homeland that was brought as a consequence of Muslim victories, putting them under the watch of public concern.
Colonialism has led to a paradigm shift, the way I define it. Right before the formation of Pakistan and before the British arrival, we had a certain paradigm about the educational class; thinking of things as elitism. It is can be inferred that we have created a mindset that this ‘Quam’ is somehow inherently disobedient, and need a pulling force keeping them in check of each and every aspect whether administration or education. By saying this implicitly, one is accepting that some Quams’ and races are better than us and is a primary example of internalized inferiority complex and a reminder of colonialism
A pragmatic issue confronting Pakistan at this critical time would be the lost connection between progress and education. The lack of coalition between people and the government further feeds this issue polluted with a colonial mindset. In order to get rid of this colonial mindset, we have to access both long-term and short-term solutions. Reviving the education system, job markets and entertainment industry can aid in promoting aspects of solutions. All these three areas are directly proportional to the betterment of the education system in the country. In terms of education British rule has led to the educational system which was primarily present to filter talent.
Economics and Politics Student at LSE (Lahore)
