I AM a student of BS at the University of Sindh, Jamshoro. Unfortunately, during the last three years we have not entered a lab as yet. This appalling condition is the fate of most students studying in public-sector universities across the country.

Generally speaking, lab work does not really exist in universities for students of biological sciences. They have not been introduced to equipment as basic as a microscope.

A teacher even said that microscope is a very costly and sophisticated instrument, and, hence, the students do not need to touch it. Without practical lab work, it is like we are students of some social science discipline, and not of science.

Is it any wonder, then, that Pakistani universities have not produced renowned scientists in biological sciences? The answer is simple: we are not provided the requisite environment, but are expected to become researchers and scientists. Students are the future of Pakistan, but unfortunately that future stands completely confused.

At another level, the technological deficit in universities is also worrying. The pandemic, for instance, provided a swift way of improving digitalisation in societies.

However, in Pakistan, most teachers struggled with the simple handling of the Zoom app.

Besides, the teachers who did take online classes, only used slides that were copied from the internet. They never bothered to explain the topics which left the students more confused by the end of an online lecture.

Pakistani universities no more offer quality education. Students of MPhil and PhD in the University of Sindh are actually provided with a set of questions. The so-called researchers only know answers to those questions alone. Such malpractice and negligence have caused huge loss to the country and the nation.

Name withheld on request

Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2021