The current era is named “Artificial Intelligence”, where the world has been revolutionized according to the needs of the time. The time has passed when formal education was considered enough for getting an appropriate job in the market. Almost two decades ago, 16 years of education was enough to join as a lecturer in any private or public sector university. The candidate who have Master degree warmly accepted for any suitable post due to his good qualification. As if someone earned an M.Phil degree from any recognized institution, such people are usually considered the best amongst others.
A formal degree was a guarantee of job placement in any reputed organization, but now the entire scheme has been completely changed because AI has changed the behaviour of the youth. Gen Z is sharper than the previous generation, who believed that a degree meant a confirmation of a well-paid job. Such thought is still breathing its last because the people who didn’t revolve themselves as per this technologically advance phase of live hard to live anymore.
We are living in a third-world, underdeveloped country where the failure of the political system has influenced every field of life, and education is one of them. Education which is essential for the nation and particularly for youth which is a leading populous of our nation. But unfortunately the education is being neglect since long and still not even a serious concern of the authorities.
Every year a large number of graduates having formal degrees in their hands waste time for searching jobs in any corporate sector. Some who get jobs based on these papers called “degrees” now fall into the hands of the giants who exploit their abilities by paying a tiny amount called “Salary”.
There are existing authorities relevant to education, specifically formed for the betterment of education, but unfortunately their policies may not be required in this technological era. Undoubtedly, the formal education system is essential for upbringing of the child but apart from this advance courses relevant to the AI and computer science must be a part of our education.
Some leading private education sectors in Pakistan show their deep concern and have redesigned curricula as per the requirements of the market. They have designed and launched their academic courses as per the needs of the future. But here once again the public sector institutes may still awaiting some kind of support to produce advance curriculum.
The current generation has no interest in books, as they have gadgets and their lives are very easy to survive. They are actually not interested in selecting a book for reading because they have visual libraries in their pockets, ready to read or watch. Information on a single click is far better than the book which usually expensive to buy and difficult to understand.
Keeping in view all this discussion, I couldn’t get the actual purpose of a book fair coming in next month in Lahore. Leading publishers of Pakistan are managing this mega event through consuming heavy budget as advertisement and teasers of the event are rotating on media. I am not against books or the reading habit, but I am actually trying to raise the point that it must be replaced with an IT-relevant symposium. The institutes that are really close to the event must take it on board and share the basic idea of this book fair. The students must be registered well in time and ensure their presence at the fair. Teachers must motivate their students about the importance of this mega event.
I am not sure, but I feel that we are not realizing the actual instinct of this technological period, where youth are very much concerned about scientific advancement, while we are forcing them to take the same path we have travelled, even though we can’t say, “We are successful in our lives”
Mr. Asim Raza is serving in a well-reputed public sector institute as an educationist and researcher.
Note: The views expressed are solely those of the writer and do not represent any official policy or position.
