http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\10\07\story_7-10-2012_pg3_5
Sunday, October 07, 2012
COMMENT : Rethinking education for a knowledge-based society — Shabnam
Baloch
The real challenge now is to reform, create and develop educational
systems and policies aiming at preparing an individual to work in a borderless
economy
Educational values, beliefs, approaches, philosophies and practices are
undergoing constant changes under the effects of globalisation. The very
objective of education has been development of the whole individual. The bare
minimum level to attain this objective in the past agrarian-based society was
to obtain basic or primary education and it was up to secondary education in
the not very old industrial society. In the present borderless
information-based society, education needs to make an individual able to
accumulate the capacity to respond to the additional demands of this society of
a globalised world today. It is not enough to enhance merely the capability of
reading, writing and doing arithmetic; in the rapidly globalised world, there
is a drastic need to revisit and re-conceptualise educational outcomes.
Education in today’s world needs to raise a deeper understanding and
sensitivity towards the environment, peace, cultural and social diversities,
increased competitiveness, the need of reconsidering and revising gender roles
and many of the other things crucial to be responded to today in a very
sagacious way. Education prepares the individual to connect and live in harmony
with the environment around him since globalisation has changed the size,
nature, quality and dynamics of that environment.
In today’s knowledge-based society, education essentially plays a key
role in defining the future direction and status of any nation. Developed
countries are mainly distinguished by their education systems, practices, and
best educational institutions, especially higher education. The role of
universities is of so much significance in the development of societies that
the experts comment, “It enables a society to maintain an independent
understanding of itself and its worlds.” ‘Of itself and its worlds’ is
inclusive of the full range of the natural, human and social worlds as objects
of understanding. Institutions of higher education should also aim at inspiring
and enabling individuals to develop their capabilities at the highest levels.
Not only that but also the ability to use that knowledge, understanding and a
higher set of skills in the best interests of the country’s economy must be
enhanced.
In knowledge-based societies, the focus of education is always on
individual needs and on the needs of society as a whole, and on the future
needs and dynamics of society. However, the aim of education should also be
focusing on best utilising the indigenous knowledge, practices and wisdom
deeply rooted in society. That knowledge can be updated in the response to the
modern society of today’s world but its actual wisdom and originality should
also be reflected in some other ways to make it unique and original in the
otherwise globalised version of education. This is not easy as it requires a
deeper understanding of societal values, culture and educational philosophies.
It is in fact a major challenge to realise the full potential of society
by providing the best education system integrated with indigenous wisdom,
knowledge and practices with the globalised version of the same. It does not
only require tremendous intellectual work but also a deeper commitment as well
in order to materialise this vision of education in the changing world of today.
Another important factor to consider is to mobilise and convince the
masses to understand and realise the fact that we need to transform our
traditional and conventional society into a knowledge-based society in order to
sustain well in future. It is a very important though difficult job, for many
still view this as a westernisation of society.
Expanding the capacities of governments, experts, civil society and
communities through policy advice, developing training material and conducting
training workshops, international conferences and information sharing is of
utmost importance to meet the current requirements of education. It is also
crucial to develop new standards of learning outcomes and their relevance to
today’s knowledge-based society. Space for the testing of new ideas and
innovations should always be welcomed, with enough space for this in order to
avoid stagnation of the system. It must have the potential to be dynamic and
have the capacity to adopt emerging traits by coping with the rapid changes in
the global scenario effectively.
The real challenge now, therefore, is to reform, create and develop
educational systems and policies aiming at preparing an individual to work in a
borderless economy and live in a global society, and also preserving and best
utilising the indigenous knowledge and societal wisdom. In other words, we need
to revitalise our education system to create citizens who can better relate
themselves to a global scenario. Considering the increased economic
globalisation and restructuring in the political systems of the world and the
growing requirements of knowledge and information, it is inevitable that the
education system needs to be changed at all levels, i.e. in terms of structure,
function, curriculum and approach.
Educational planners and policy makers must think seriously about the
cost and consequences of not updating the education system as per today’s job
market requirements and creating a workforce whose majority may be unable to
compete according to the global competitiveness indicators.
The state should realise and commit that it must give all its citizens
the tools to succeed and provide leadership in the new global environment.
Updating the education system and policies as per the requirement of future
society in a globalised world is the only way to sustain in this highly
competitive knowledge-based society.
Although this is not an easy task in a country where access to even basic
education is a big challenge and where millions are deprived of basic
necessities of life, but as the old English saying goes, where there is a will,
there is a way.
The writer is the Provincial Manager at the Strengthening Participatory
Organisation (SPO), Sindh
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