November 2, 2003

Many have done many a thing to enter the Guinness almanac. Munawwar Ilahi plans to do it by securing the maximum number of MA degrees

THE other day, I came across a rather unique man. Munawar Ilahi has, at the age of 34, completed six Master of Arts (MAs) degrees. His educational trophies includes, MA in Political Science (1998, 2nd division), Pakistan Studies (1999, 2nd division), History (2000, 1st division), Urdu (2002, 2nd division), Islamic Studies (2002, 2nd division) and Persian (2003, 1st division).

Other than these, he has an LLB (2003) and a BEd degree (1997) as well. Other than the MA in Pakistan Studies, that he secured from Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, he received all his degrees from the Islamia University Bahawalpur. A seventh Master (MSc) from Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is in progress. So what is it with so many Masters? Simple, Munawar plans to do the maximum Masters so that his name is included in the Guinness Book of World Records.

I met this interesting guy at a workshop in Islamabad. He had come from Bahawalnagar, a far-flung district of Punjab. At the workshop he confessed to his passion for getting Masters degrees. Other than a couple of more MA’s his future itinerary includes an MPhil and a PhD. He did two MAs at the same time and claims that he can do three Masters within a singular academic year. This is incredible but the strangest fact is that despite his abilities and high qualification, he is still serving as a primary school teacher, in pay scale nine, earning a monthly salary of Rs5500/-.

When I asked the reason for his doing so many MAs, he told me, “Actually, after graduation I got a job at a government primary school, in my native district Bahawalnagar. However, after school I had nothing to do, so I did my first MA. I couldn’t get leave for MPhil or PhD, so I did another MA and it went on.”

He did his MAs privately in Urdu medium. Being an Urdu-medium-guy, he seems afraid of English language and literature but doesn’t confess to it. “There are a lot of people who are MA in English, but are out of job. I therefore didn’t do MA in English.” His answer sounds more like a lame-excuse!

Looking at his lean and thin five and half feet physique, he seems to be a regular rural guy. During the workshop, a person told me, “Even after this high qualification there is no change in his behaviour and personality. Look, he is sitting with his feet on the very chair he is sitting on.”

During our conversation I asked Munawar, “What kind of changes do you feel before and after these university degrees?”

“Before doing my MAs, I was not aware of national and international affairs, but now I can talk on any issue. Moreover, now I am a well-known person in my area,” he proudly answered.

When I asked, “Do you really think yourself as a master of these subjects in which you have done MAs?”

“I feel myself master of the university syllabuses not of the whole subjects. However, in Political Science, I feel myself well enough,” came his honest answer with a twinkle in his eye.

Munawar Ilahi’s father, Noor Ilahi, got education up to the Intermediate level, while his mother is illiterate. He is the first highly educated person in his family. He married six years ago and now has two lovely children, a son and a daughter. He said that he had not enough guidelines for choosing a career or selecting a subject for specialization.

“Thank God! Now I can guide my children properly,” he says with satisfaction.

Munawar is not happy with the government’s employment system, especially in a sensitive department, like the education. “People with third-division BA are serving in grade 19, while highly qualified and young people are languishing in the lowest grades. This has increased frustration in our society. Our education system can’t improve unless the teachers are not given their due rights.”

Disheartened, he continues, “The government gives awards for writing a piece of Ghazal (poetry) but the talented lot of the society is ignored by the authorities. It is a great dilemma of our times.”

I was thinking about the flaws in our education system and the social and psychological aspects of Munawar’s life when he diverted my attention to a topic, which I had thought to heavy for him!

“I want to make a point clear for you,” he started without any query, trying to impress me with his insight. “The World Trade Organization (WTO) will destroy the economy and resources of Pakistan. To follow the ‘intellectual property rights’ will only benefit the rich industrial countries. They will control the knowledge and wisdom and the poor countries will be deprived of inventions and progress.”

He wishes to write on political issues in Urdu, but, “The major newspapers, magazines and periodicals come out from big cities and they have no space for writers from the rural areas.

“In our southern part of Punjab there are no libraries. Thus there is lack of awareness in the society. However, things are improving now.”

When I asked if he had seen or heard about his equal in degrees?

“No, not at all,” he concluded with a smile.

But I wanted a better insight of this man’s educational adventure. Therefore I contacted Dr Najma Aziz, a psychiatrist at Government Poly Clinic Hospital Islamabad, who at first was really surprised, “Does this man actually exist?” When assured, she told me, “There might be some problem in his personality, he seems to be unsatisfied with whatever he does — he is in search of something special but has yet to find it. There seems no practical application of the degrees in his real life, otherwise he could have been a professor.

“I have seen two to three Masters degree holders, but three are really rare,” Dr Najma concluded.

Professor Dr Muhammad Pervaiz, an educationist and head of psychology department, Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad, said on contact, “I have seen up to four Masters degree holders in relevant subjects. More than that, is not only insane, but also becomes a useless obsession.”

His analysis was, “Our university degrees have become absurd and meaningless. Anybody can get a Master’s degree in six months time by the traditional ratta (rote learning) method. In this way the degree comes in hand but the very essence of the understanding the subject slips away.”

Despite the ground realities, Munawar Ilahi may bring worldwide fame to his country tomorrow or even may get a better pay scale, to support his increasing family. Miracles can happen even in this new century.

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)