A WHILE ago there was an astounding news report on a college principal in Karachi suffering the indignity of being manhandled during examinations.

The saddest part of the squalid incident was that the culprits were none but students.

This is just one shameful occurrence, many others which happen across the length and breadth of our society go unnoticed or unreported.

Has our new generation (students to be exact) forgotten to respect their teachers who give them education?

It seems the dignity of being an elder stands nowhere in contrast to our past.

Reasons for such ghastly happenings are an aimless, multi-class education system laden with innumerable and corrupt practices, including relentless commercialism in many private institutions, dwindling parental guidance on character-building and a hysterical electronic media.

Apart from developing students academically, a true education institution is one which gives moral training to students.

Unfortunately, very few institutions do so in our system.

Violent political interference in educational matters further complicates the situation, and diminishes hopes for any positive change.

Parents who seek to fulfil their children’s basic needs and comforts as much as possible (along with some luxury, if possible), seemed to overlook character-building of their children.

A frenzied electronic media at times caps it all. The mushrooming of TV channels in Pakistan over the past few years has caused significant moral problems in young minds.

Excessively alluring, even gibberish advertisements, coupled with unrealistic, unnecessarily extravagant TV serials, grip tens of millions of youthful viewers who are already enchanted by swanky movies.

One hopes everybody, including students, will make their due contribution in helping and guiding our young generation become a productive part of our society.

SHAZRAH SHAKEEL Karachi