EDUCATION plays a vital role in the human development. It helps in eradicating poverty. That is why the government is responsible for promoting education using national resources.

For the last two decades, many corporate and global forces have forced national educational institutions to operate like private ones. This commercialisation has seriously affected national educational systems in developing countries. A large number of students from developing countries travel abroad to acquire higher education. As a result, a significant amount is spent outside the country which affects the local economy.

This trend can be controlled only if local universities provide quality education. Countries such as China and Malaysia welcome foreign-education providers to meet the demands of their students. Our educational authorities should also take such steps to tackle the commercialisation of education. Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf signed a contract with nine world-class universities that were supposed to develop their campuses in Pakistan. Such initiatives are vastly needed.

The government should take initiatives to make quality education possible for all. It should provide more funding for education, while communities can also play their role in making this process smooth.

Farhan Jumani

Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2018