“Life is more important than education,” says an eighth-grade student, Shahbaz, when asked about the closure of educational institutions in Pakistan for three weeks in wake of the outbreak of coronavirus in the world. So far (March 15, 2020) 33 cases have been reported in Pakistan, out of which two patients have recovered (source: worldometers)
The decision of shutting down the educational institutions from March 14 to April 5, 2020 in Pakistan, along with many others pertaining international flights, and ongoing PSL matches, was taken in the emergency meeting of National Security Council called by Prime Minister Imran Khan, on March 13. Announcing the decision to media, the Federal Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said that due to these holidays, the academic activities would be “affected”. Fortunately, academic sessions in most of the colleges are about to end and about to begin in most of the schools throughout the country. Whereas, the semesters in most of the universities are in medias res. When the students were asked about the decision, they showed very mature understanding of the issue.
“Our country, like Italy or China, can’t afford to build a 1000-bed hospital in ten days or lock down the country for all. Pakistan is economically a developing country. Though we are going to miss our test series in college but, in most colleges, the syllabus is fully covered one month prior to the final Board exam so the 3-week holidays are not that much of an issue,” says Hira, an intermediate student. The academies have also been shut down, so the students are on their own.
Anosh, an undergrad student of International Islamic University Islamabad hailed the decision saying that the loss of precious time of the semester can easily be made up in the summer vacations because “the decision is the need of the hour.” In addition, some of the universities are taking full advantage of internet facility and launching online classes to keep the sessions going on.
This is not the first time that the students in Pakistan are missing some weeks of their academic session. Back in 2014-15, all academic institutions in the country were shut down for some weeks in wake of carnage brought about by terrorists in Army Public School, Peshawar. It had cost the nation at least 140 lives, including those of school personnel and students.
This is to say Pakistani students are used to having a lapse in academic activities and yet, make their mark in the world.
Long Live Pakistan!
