HOME -''SCHOOLING HONOURS''- HOPE : MOTHERS' GLOBAL ESSAY

CONVENTIONAL SCHOOLING has been failing to meet the aspirations of most parenting who are perplexed at the thought of leaving their kids in an environment which not only kills the curiosity of children.

BUT also shapes them into a person that does not have any skill to build relationships, communicate confidently or even secure a job.

A recent meeting with parents of primary schoolers this week was an eye-opener to the pain these parents go through in the process of selecting schools for their kids.

Most of these parents were American graduates so they were in an uneasy position to compare American school education with education at home.

For many the local schools, even the ones catering to the elite in Pakistan, fail to serve their commitment to the students in particular and education in general.

The emphasis is majorly on maximising profits and making themselves into a status symbol where the children are given no real training for their upcoming lives.

'' MY DAUGHTER'S behaviour changed totally when she started going to a local school in Lahore. Previously in Bangkok, Thailand, she was not used to even taking a bag to school and was not subjected to any exams.

However, when she arrived here, she was under constant pressure to do homework and appear in exams,'' said Noreen, a mother of three working as an assistant registrar in a university.

Continuous competition in school and pressure from parents and teachers are making many students buckle under the immense performance pressure forcing the students to focus on cramming their subjects rather than developing the concepts.

Under too much burden in the name of education, these students are left with no time to self-reflect about their life course, socialise or read books outside their syllabus.

''MY CHILDREN have hardly learnt anything from school this year. We have to get them extra coaching for their exams.

The school charges so much fees but still the learning for the kids is not satisfactory at all,'' added Amir who does two jobs to be able to afford the education of his two sons at an upscale schooling chain.

The Publishing of this Master Global Essay continues. The World Students Society thanks Muhammad Ali Falak. He is the author of the book '' My Fulbright and UGRAD.''