Education is vital for development. It plays a role of a backbone in the social system. It is a key to progress and the developed nations of the world have used this key for exploring the world of Modern Technology. A Uniform education system and equal access to education is the dream of our nation. The Federal government has converted 25 Urdu Medium schools to English Medium, in Khbyer agency. Some believe that this decision of the government is its first step towards achieving the dream of Uniform Education system; however, few claim that Learning English is not vital for development because it is just a mode of communication. They believe that curriculum and books must be in native languages to make it easy for the students to understand them. People may have different opinions about the curriculum but they are all agreeing that education is the ultimate source for social progress, and improvement in life standard of human beings. For more information, Please listen the audio of the program. Urooj Khan: dear listeners welcome to our show, our program provides you a platform where you can share and highlight your problems on a National level. We are focused to find out the best possible solution to your problems. This program is about peace and prosperity. Listeners are welcomed to participate in our program and share their experiences and concerns about peace. Today the topic of our program is “education” and we will also talk about the last days of Ramadan and the coming Eid. The government is focusing on the education sector in FATA. Education is vital for development and prosperous life. A society cannot develop without education. In all parts of the tribal belt, the government is establishing educational institutes to provide educational opportunities in FATA for the establishment of sustainable peace, and the development of the tribal people. The education ratio in Khyber Agency is better with respect to other agencies of the tribal belt. in the agency, about 25 schools including 5 High and 20 primary schools are converted into English Medium (from Urdu Medium), providing the opportunity of learning and exploring the world of science and technology. We have report in this regard by our reporter kamran Afridi Report#1: Kamran Afridi Kamran Afridi: according to information taken from the Education department in Khyber agency, there are about 25 Urdu Medium schools in the agency that are converted to English Medium. Mohammad Shier (Jamrod, Khbyer agency): it is highly appreciable step of the government, especially the conversion of Urdu Medium Primary schools to English Medium because it makes the base of child in his education career. And when the base is strong, the rest of the building will also be strong. Like them in the high and middle schools the students will learn English language. It will help in the educational development in the Agency. Kamran Afridi: according to the education department of the agency, there are about 723 educational institutes in Khyber Agency, including 4 collages, 5 higher secondary schools and 29 high schools. About 96 thousand students are studying in these educational institutes, among them 64 thousands are boys and 32 thousands are girls. Hafeez-ul-amin (Bara): this decision of the government will restore the trust of the public over the government schools. This will eradicated the differences among the rich and poor students. In English medium private schools majority of the students are rich, while providing English medium education to the poor students in government schools will remove the sense of deprivation among them. It will bring prosperity in the belt and the poor child will get a free standard education. Kamran Afridi: in these 25 converted schools, 5 are high schools while, 20 are primary including 13 boys and 12 girls schools. Gulab Deen (bara): this decision of the government is their first step towards the uniform education system in the country. The development of the country depends upon education but the education system must be uniform, based on a single curriculum. This decision will give good results if all the schools are converted to English medium and if the system of education is made uniform. However, this decision may prove as a first step towards uniform education system. Attiq UrRehman (AEO, Education department Kbyber Agency): we are trying our best to provide educational opportunities to everyone. We convert those schools into English medium where there is no other English medium school in the area. We have also planned to provide proper trainings to the teachers as well, to built their capacity and make them competent to teach in the English medium schools. Trainings have been arranged and the preparations are almost finalized. Kamran Afridi: the people of the agency appreciate this step of the government, and they demand that with the passage of time all the schools in Khbyer agency should be converted into English medium. Kamran Afridi, CRSS Khyber Agency. Urooj Khan: this step of the government will provide opportunities of quality education to those students who are poor and they can’t afford to take admission in the private English medium schools in the area or in the city. It will provide them an easy access to quality education in their area. This will strengthen their base and impart good education into the kids from the very beginning of their schooling, which will help them in their future studies. Caller#1: Mohammad Tahir (Peshawar, English teacher): education is the base of life. This decision of the government is a good step towards the quality education for the people; however, ultimately teacher has to play the key role in imparting knowledge and wisdom into the kids. Teacher is a backbone of the education system. But this is also fact that most of the teachers are not competent and they do not have the capability to teach English. They are not well trained and qualified to meet the needs of English medium Education. The basic thing in English is Grammar but most of the teachers do not know about it. Therefore, we must build the capacity of our teachers to make them capable and competent enough to meet the need of Modern education system. Urooj Khan: Educations play a vital role in the development of the society, brining improvement in the life style of the people. Without education progress is almost impossible. Education has become vital for survival in today’s age. Caller#2: Lal Mohammad (Khyber agency, aga khiel): most of the schools in our area are destroyed; therefore, I request the government to reconstruct these schools so that we can give education to our children. Urooj khan: do all the people in your area want education for their kids? What is the opinion of the elders of your area about education? Lal Mohammad (Khyber agency, aga khiel): we love education and we want our kids either, boys or girls to have access to quality education but for all this we needs schools. Urooj Khan: there are some areas where schools and other educational institutes are destroyed during the military operation and these buildings are not suitable to be used for education purpose. However, the government is trying its best to reconstruct these schools and collage as soon as possible. Caller#3: Gull Kareem (Jamrood): there is a lack of teachers in FATA. In KP there is one teacher for each 40 students, while, in FATA the situation is different. Here we have only 2 or 3 teachers in the primary school, while in KP there are at least 8 teachers in each primary school. In some schools there are more than 500 students, while there are only 2 (PTC) teachers for the students. Although, the conversion of Schools to English medium is a good step but this will not work until we have enough teachers in the schools. Nothing is going to be better until we overcome the shortage of teachers in FATA. Urooj Khan: the government is building new schools and hiring new teachers to meet the needs of the students in FATA. Gull Kareem: I request to the government that they must provide proper number of teachers in FATA to overcome the lack of teaching staff. Urooj khan: if on one side there is lack of teachers in tribal belt, while on the other side the available teachers are not performing their duties properly. And most of the time they remain absent from schools. The government is trying its best to overcome the lack of teachers and educational institutes in FATA, however, it is not an easy task, therefore, it will take time to overcome these problems. The government has published a report of a survey conducted in 2010-11, which says that the government is trying to provide education to everyone to boost the country’s economy through education. Today people are facing many financial problems and such problems can be solved through education because it will create employment opportunities. The report also mentioned that the government is going to prevail over the shortage of teachers in the respective areas and also built new educational institutes to meet the needs of modern day education. Song: “Alak day sumra khkulay” Urooj khan: these are the last days of Ramadan and Eid is near. The people are busy in preparations for EID celebrations’, while shopping and buying new dresses for EID day. Caller#4: Aftab (Bara, Khyber Agency): there is a need of educational environment in our area. Everyone can not afford to study in private schools, we need government schools. Urooj khan: are you studying? Aftab: yes I am a student of Class 9th. urooj khan: what is the major problem in your area? Aftab: the major problem that we are facing in our area is the lack of primary schools. We cannot afford to study in privates schools and there are no government primary schools in our area. Beside this issue there is another problem that most of the parents do not enroll their children on time in the school which causes age problem. We need proper educational environment in our area. urooj Khan: do your people like education? Aftab: yes, all our children are at school. But we should not only think about ourselves, we should think about the problems of other people as well. Urooj khan: yes, it is vital for the social development to work for common interest. caller#5: Haji Wazeer (FR-Peshawar, Kohat): the education system should not be based on English language. For knowledge and wisdom we do not need English because we need it only for communication. The nations of the world have got success and development in their own mother-tongue. If we take the example of China, they have made tremendous improvement in field of technology and modern sciences but their books or curriculum are not in English language, it is in Chinese language. This means that we do not need English for educational development and progress in modern technology. Take another example of Iran; their books of Physics, chemistry and Bio are in Farsi Language (native language in Iran). in the world of science from 7th to 16th century is called “Muslim Era”, where the Muslim scientist have ruled the world of Knowledge and they did not know English Language. Actually it is their struggle and research which enabled them to succeed in their fields. Actually we have lost the track; foreign languages are only for communication. Therefore, our books and curriculum should be in Native languages for easy understanding. Beside that we should also concentrate more on practical work rather than book reading. Most of our students succeed to get a degree, however, when it comes to the practical implementation of their knowledge in the field then they fail to do so, and the reason is the lack of practical work in our educational institutes. We need practical education along with descriptive form of studies, but in our native language or mother tongue. Caller#6: Ihasan Ullah (Oragzai Agency): although, peace has been restored in our area but school and hospitals are destroyed during military operation. There is an extreme need for girls’ schools in our area. Hundreds of girls are illiterate; therefore, we demand the government to build girl schools in our area. Urooj Khan: do the people in your area allow their girls for education? Ihsan Ullah: yes they do, and I am ready to offer my land for the construction of girl school in our area, if the government wants to. Urooj Khan: have you talked to anyone from the authorities in your area about your proposal of offering free land for school? Ihsan Ullah: the authorities are political agents but they want bribe and I am poor man. I can’t afford to bribe the authorities. Beside that there is also intense need for hospitals in our area. Though the government is claiming to promote education but the situation of women’s education is worse in our area. Urooj Khan: as the peace has been restored in the oragzai agency, so the schools and hospitals will be rebuilt in the area as well. But it will take time. Ihsan Ullah: the girls have right to education; therefore, we appeal the government to provide schools and collages for girls to make their future bright, and do not let them to grow up illiterate. It is their social and fundamental right. Urooj Khan: We have report by Huma Irshad about Eid Preparations. Report#2: Huma Irshan (preparations for EID) Henna, myrtle alkanet Huma Irshad: In Pashtoon society happiness moments are celebrated in the different ways. Women do makeup and color their hands with Myrtle (henna or Mahandi). Henna or Myrtle not only gives beauty to the women but it is also the sing of happiness. The women of pashtoon society uses Henna on different occasions while, the use of Henna Increases in marriages ceremonies, and in EID. Madeeha Gohar (Bannu): Myrtle or Alkanet (henna) is a beautiful tradition of Pashtoon Nation. Henna is used by all women, especially those women whose husbands comeback from abroad. It is their celebration of joyful moments, which gives them beauty and they color their hands for their husbands. Henna is must in makeup, however, there is no specific time for its use and it is used by women all the time. In Eid, women color their hands and feet with Henna, especially on Chand Raat (Night before Eid day) and it is the most important part of makeup. Henna is used in different functions and other joyful moments and it is considered an integral part of women’s Makeup. It is an old tradition of the Pashtoon society. Huma Irshad: she further added that most of the women also use henna as medicine. Madeeha Gohar(Bannu): the use of Myrtle has many benefits, it can eradicate swelling in feet and itches in hands. Its use also gives growth and strength to hairs. Huma Irshad: henna is used in all parts of the world and it is the sign of happiness. Rukhsana Nazeer (bannu): it is a beautiful tradition of the Pashtoon society. Henna is used in all the happiness occasions like Eid, Marriages, and other functions. Women color their hands with Henna on the night before Eid, and on Eid days. it is said in our village that “when Eid passes then paste the Henna on Wall”, which means Henna is vital for Eid celebrations. Huma Irshad: Henna is used by the women of all ages, whether young or old. Yasmeen Akhtar (bannu): henna is used in every county because it’s very beautiful fashion. The women from every walk of life, whether doctor, engineer or from any other profession uses Henna, especially on the Eid occasions. if on one side it is our tradition, while on the other side it is the sing of happiness and it doubles the celebration of joyful moments. Huma Irshad: she further added that with the passage of time the use of Henna has increased Yasmeen Akhtar: in the past henna was usually used by “Bribes”, however, with the passage of time this trend has taken another shape and now every women, whether, old or young uses henna, especially on happiness occasions. Eid preparations are considered incomplete without henna. Women make different designs from the color of henna on their hands and feet. it is the a sign of happiness. Huma Irshad, CRSS Bannu…. Urooj Khan: henna is the integral part of makeup for women, especially in the days of Eid. We should not forget those people in the preparations for Eid, who are displaced from their homes and are living in the Camps or those who have no one to celebrate their Eid with. our little help would be of much importance to them, therefore, we should be generous in helping and giving them the moments of Happiness, while they are away from their homes living a hard life in the IDP camps. Buying them dress, Henna, toys and other gifts would help in brining smiles on their hopeless faces. it will bring the blessing of GOD in our lives. Do not forget the needy and poor people on this special occasion of EID. Dear linters, Stay Blessed GOOD Bye…
Posted on: Wed, 21 Aug 2013 07:22:17 +0000