THIS is with reference to Ikram Junaidi’s news report, ‘Good future needs good teachers’ (June 8). He is absolutely right when he says that one good teacher produces several good students, which can help in saving our declining education standard.

We are not only far behind attaining a hundred per cent literacy rate, but also in a dismal position regarding our standard of education.

The only criterion for teacher’s appointment is not what you know but who you know.

In our culture and according to Islamic teachings, teachers are considered and treated as holy people. It is said that teachers are persons who try to inscribe the hearts of their students with sacred words. Teachers are people who enlighten the path of students and guide them towards success.

Nowadays, teachers are being appointed on recommendation, as reported by Ikram Junaidi. They are getting jobs while capable and gifted people are suffering hardships.

These teachers do not know their subjects, leave alone the syllabi. They are not guiding their students, rather they are confusing them.

One good leader can change the face of the nation, so one good teacher can produce hundreds of intelligent students.

It is the responsibility of the ministry of education and, above all, the government to stop corruption in the education sector by making sure that only sincere, dedicated and efficient teachers are appointed.

RIFAT RAEES Karachi

Defects

THIS is apropos of Dur-e-Nayab Haider’s letter ‘Educational systems’ (June 1). Our system of education is obsolete: it lacks contemporary methodology of teaching, with the curriculum almost similar from the primary to the university level.

Computer is a field of study only, not a skill. In most universities it is taught to only students of the computer department seeking degrees in that subject, let alone its use at primary and secondary levels.

In universities students of other subjects like sociology, languages, arts and other sciences are not taught any computer skills. Thus our students lag far behind students of other countries.

The same is true of languages. English, though introduced from the primary level, is not taught according to modern techniques of comprehension. Only reading lessons and knowing meaning of words cannot enable students to master the language. The methodology of the English department in universities is also doubtful.

The national language, Urdu, is also not focused at any level of education. Learning of both these languages is important for producing capable and competitive students on national and international levels.

The fate of students of other subject is also not much different. On the one hand, they are deprived of computer and language skills and, on the other hand, they do not become proficient in their own field of interest as the proper methodology is not applied.

Faculty members are not well-qualified, research is not pursued and creative thought is ignored.

These defects in our education system are the main reasons for chaos, unemployment, poverty and social instability in our society.

In order to overcome these defects the government must require a well-thought-out and comprehensive policy to reform the existing education system.

JAVED JAGIRANI Larkana