In the last week of May 1998, I had my final exams for Secondary School Certificate (or in simple words, tenth grade). In those particular days, India had just shown the sequel of their ‘smiling Buddha’ series, nuclear tests in Rajasthan. Heat resulting from those tests could be felt here in politics and everyday life. One of the favorite things to do for kids like me and patriot adults was to bash the premier Nawaz Sharif as coward and on not replying in the same coin. Finally Sharif, scared of getting "Hyderabadi Choorian" gift and not by the financial misery his country was in, decided to push the button for the nuclear test. Chaghi turned yellowish grey and Pakistanis were delighted, not even bothering to think what actually country is going to get.
One particular side effect of this for me was little weird. The next day in my Physics paper, I had an unexpected multiple choice question to answer:
What is the range of ‘Ghauri missile’?
Obviously my rote memorization of projectile motion and all that crap in Physics book was not enough to answer this. I had to lose marks for that one MCQ. I didn’t regret much as it was little price as compared to the jubilation of being the first and only Muslim nuclear power.
Now as I look it, it simply seems one of those patriotism-coated-jokes consciously being done in the name of education. All this was reminded when I saw the news about the recent exam paper in Punjab board. The honorable paper-setter Hafiz Ajmal Sahib decided to deliver a real mind-twisting question for ninth graders:
Who is responsible for Pakistan’s security? God or Zardari?
Clearly he was not brave enough to put the most logical option there. However I am sure he got what he aimed for; only students with Einstein IQ-level were able to answer this. Unfortunately for him (and fortunately for the next generation of ninth graders), the paper-setter had to answer his own question with his job.
The above ‘incident’ (if it qualifies) is not an isolated mishap by an individual. It is an indicator of the level of collective seriousness shown in the public education system. I had honor of getting my matriculation and HSC through Sindh Board. I can assure you that I am witness of many such things but they were not spicy enough to get the attention of media or the responsible office bearers in Education Ministry.
Whenever I get chance to read the columns of Dr. Pervaiz Hood Bhoy, I feel really pity for him. Poor professor thinks that the course book for physics should be rational and logical. On top of that, he tries to explain this to people who even don’t know that MIT is not for 'Mughalpura Institute of Technology', Lahore. I love how this is considered as an attack on faith when someone even tries to make our Physics book little rational. No matter how much you hate it, physics is and will be always secular physics. Same goes for math, chemistry, biology and other sciences.
For Pakistan Studies, minimum standard should be being truth, honesty and pluralism (since secular is a taboo thing). It was only few years’ back when I started reading the actual history about East Pakistan, just to get shocked and terrified. The course book has pages on brotherhood between Pakistan and some remote African countries but only THREE lines for losing half of our own country. Obviously of what use knowing this would be that how and why the largest Muslim country of its time was bathed in blood and how Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, supporting Fatima Ali Jinnah in 1964, ended in demanding a separate country only after 7 years. Lying regarding our own history and using it as an instrument for mass brainwashing and collective ignorance has made us stand where we are today.
I have one of the most embarrassing memories of my life linked to Pakistan studies class. Our PhD teacher, once in the mid of pre-Pakistan history chapter, pointed and directly asked one of the only two Hindu students in our class: Do you still follow suttee ritual? I even today can’t imagine standing and answering such callous and disgusting question myself.
Let it be text books, government schools, public holidays, social and financial status of the teachers, reforms. policies or fake-or-original-degree-is-degree ministers, there is an ongoing ridicule with the education system without any shame. It is hard to see any policy or vision regarding the education on the ground. Only exception could be Higher Education Commission during Dr. Ata-ur-Rehman's tenure; even that was during a 'dictatorship'
Third US President Thomas Jefferson once said: "Information is the currency of democracy". May I add that today information is also the blood of economy and the lifeline for survival. True and effective reforms in education, with supporting economic policies, can be the strongest factor for creating opportunities for the unprivileged masses and harmonizing the society. Further delay in take long-term concrete steps in this regard will only make the damage worse. Unfortunately I can neither see the commitment nor vision to answer this challenge in the ruling elite.  
I only wish that my kid doesn't have to answer the question that whether it is God, Zaradri, or another kid, Bilawal, who secures his country.
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