KARACHI: Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor has expressed deep concern over outdated syllabus being taught in our schools and colleges, saying it doesn’t serve the needs of the job market.
He said our graduates have mostly ‘paper degrees’ that are good for nothing. He asked for fundamental changes in the syllabus, giving more focus to vocational training, startups and entrepreneurship skills. He said instead of useless degree programmes, diploma programmes in technical education should be introduced in disciplines that are needed by today’s job market.
He hoped that the government would refrain from any step that may stifle the freedom of students but instead give the young generation more opportunities to participate in healthy student politics activities.
He asked not to recognize the colleges and universities where student union elections are not held regularly every year.
Expressing grave concern over a thinly veiled warning of the federal government to students against any agitation in educational institutions, Altaf Shakoor asked not to stifle student’s politics but instead allow flourishing student unions in all educational institutions.
He said his party fully supports actions against miscreants who mislead the students but it would fully oppose more curbs on student politics under this pretext. He said student unions are the nurseries of mainstream politics. He said banning student unions in Pakistan during the Zia regime only resulted in opening the doors of politics to so-called electable.
He said the country needs real leadership developed from the ranks and files of common citizens instead of giving more space to the elite class in our assemblies.
He said in all democracies students are encouraged to take part in student unions but here in our country the ruling elite is afraid of the students’ power, especially after the recent political changes in Bangladesh led by students.
He said the government should not be afraid of students who are patriots and eager to serve the nation and country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024