No one can deny the importance of education. Especially in the modern world of today, to cope with the fast advancing nations, education is the key. In Pakistan, the education sector is the most talked about. Almost every government pays a lot of attention to this sector, but still, the situation does not change significantly. Does that mean we are not working in the right direction? The answer is Yes! There are a lot of factors that are being neglected. Merely talking about education does not change the situation. Some underlying factors need to be addressed. What one needs to see is that why so many students enter into educational institutions but fail to come out as successful individuals to contribute to the society.
Many children enter schools, colleges, and universities with very high hopes. But soon they get slapped in the face by the reality. As soon as they come into any educational institution, they realize that turning dreams into reality is not that easy. It is not a bed of roses instead it’s a path of thorns. They get carried away by a lot of factors and end up getting failed or dropped out. But we can’t just blame children for such situations. The reasons behind their failure should be recognized and addressed in a manner that no student fails ever again.
Statistical Evidence
According to the statistical data prepared by Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education in 2016, more than 170 thousand students appeared in the Secondary School Level (SSC) exam, and more than a million students appeared in Higher Secondary School level (HSSC) exam. That shows that the number of students enrolled in schools and colleges all over Pakistan is quite enough. However, the overall passing percentage of SSC was almost 79.49. Whereas, the result of HSSC showed a total passing rate of 74.33. As compared to the results of past years, this result proved to be much better. But still, more than 25% students failed to make it to college or university.
As students reach for higher education and some professional degree, these figures become much worse. In 2013, the University of Karachi announced the result of BCom exam that was quite disturbing. Only 16 percent students were able to pass the exam that is considered very simple. And talking about the students, who succeed in graduating and getting a professional degree, how well they perform further is a different story. The CSS exam result of 2016 was yet another devastating blow to Pakistan’s educational standards. Only 2 percent of students who appeared in the Central Superior Services of Pakistan (CSS) exam passed. The results revealed that a remarkable 98 percent of students failed to clear the written test which left the observers in awe. This is an alarming situation that raises a lot of questions on the quality of education in the country.
Apart from the failing ratio, some other statistics related to education are also alarming. In the first place, according to the Ministry of Education, the dropout ratio in Pakistan in 2007-2008 was 41% at primary school level. That means, almost half of the students fail to reach high school level.
There are numerous reasons behind high ratio of failing students. Some of them are discussed below.
Financial Problems
One of the biggest reasons why students fail in school, colleges and universities are economic problems that they and their families face. Apart from academic stress, financial issues add to the burden that they bear. Cost of getting an education is very high. Although the law states that every child must get free and compulsory basic education. But the reality is altogether opposite. The parents who can’t even afford to feed their children three times a day find it impossible to educate their children. Due to such financial issues, today 22 million children are out of school in Pakistan. And even if they make it to schools, they have to work part-time to pay for their educational expenses.
Thousands of students can be found working at gas stations, call centers, local restaurants and many other such places just to make a little money so that they can afford the educational expenses. That leads to their failure in colleges and universities as it divides their attention. Such students do not get much time to study or to sleep as they attend classes in the morning and work in evening shifts. Thus, even after trying hard to make both ends meet, in the end, they fail to come up with positive results.
Lack Of Interest
It is human nature that one does not perform well when the task is not of his or her interest. So how do we expect children to succeed with flying colors when they are forced to do something which they do not want to do. This problem mainly arises at the higher level studies because elementary schooling is almost uniform and has little or nothing to do with one’s interests and passions. However, when it comes to college or professional studies where a student is given an option to choose from different fields, their attention matters a lot.
Unfortunately, in our society, students are forced to follow the path mapped by their parents or the norms of the community. All parents want their children to either become a doctor or engineer. When students are forced to study something they have no interest in, they show poor results, and that’s one of the reasons why students fail in college and universities.
Role of Health
To perform well in school, college or university, a student must have a sound mind and a sound body. This factor is mostly neglected by most of the people, but it plays an important role in the academic performance of a student. A student cannot bear the academic pressure if he or she is not fit. Even minor deficiencies can hinder them from achieving their goals. Poor health leads to high absentee rate which in turn leads to a poor academic performance by a student. How a student is supposed to perform well in school if he or she is visiting a doctor most of the time. Thus, failure of a student is directly proportional to his or her health.
Similarly, mental illness affects education a lot. According to some statistics, one in five students experiences mental illness. Mental Health Disorders can affect classroom learning and social interactions, both of which are critical to the success of the students. Such issues if left unattended, lead to the failure of students since it becomes impossible for a student to study in such a case.
Read Part 2: Failing Ratio in Schools, Colleges, and Universities
