Our failure to prioritize education in Pakistan comes from many sources. For an article on this failure see: [link]
EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY
by Maulvi Jahangir Mahmood:
Whole Book is attached below.
INTRODUCTORY Paragraph:
Islam originally came to the Indian Subcontinent in the 7th century CE, but was institutionalized as the state religion by the Muslim rulers in the 11th century. Although Islam was the state Religion, it was not imposed on the population, which at the time was predominantly Hindu or its aligned religions. The ruling class was largely Muslim, but non-Muslims participated in the administration as well. Education, in those days, was imparted as per religion. Each Muslim community was centered on the local Mosque which was often accompanied by a Madrassah. One of the hallmarks of Madrassah system especially in South Asia is its independence of government maintenance, through its support from the community. Most Hindu temples were associated with Gurukul or Pathshala1. These were run by the religious scholars of both communities and were autonomous bodies supported by the rulers and the local population. They had their own curriculum which they had designed by themselves and the state seldom interfered in their operations. The subjects taught in all such schools were primarily of the same nature, i.e. although they differed in beliefs, the philosophy behind them remained the same. Students decided their own religious doctrine, but this was accompanied by a mandatory vocational education. A student would approach different levels of divine teachings and at the same time, in order to earn a living would learn a contemporary skill. These included masonry, carpentry, wood work, medical sciences, arts, architecture etc. The masterful architecture of Mughal buildings is an example of the abundance of skilled labour at that time. Throughout India, there existed a great number of people who were famous for their skill and craftsmanship e.g. wood carving, metalwork and masonry in the world. Herbal medicine which is practiced even today is a remnant of Muslim medical schools in the India of the time. This educational system included not only people from all walks of life, but also a surprising high ratio of female students2. High morals and values prevailed at that time3. Details about the strengths and shortcomings of the syllabi prevailing at that time are beyond the scope of this discussion. The only reference here is to point to the fact that Muslim education in the Mughal era was an organized discipline that was second to none throughout the world. Proof of this is also the statements and reports furnished by British Historians and administrators who had, in the early eighteenth century, begun to infiltrate deeply into the political affairs of India. Mughal rule had lost its thrust and pull, paving the way for another nation to take its place. Once they tightened their grip, the colonial power commissioned a detailed study of the education system4, and then replaced it with one specially designed for India5. The extensive discussions and classified reports in the British Parliament of the time6, clearly spell out the importance they gave to ‘educating’ the Indians. Thus began the imperial mission of educating and civilizing colonial subjects in the literature and thought of England, a mission that in the long run served to strengthen Western cultural hegemony in enormously complex ways.