Undergraduates Educational Deficit in Pakistan

COVID-19 started in December 2019 from Wuhan, China and spread across 195+ countries in the world within a few days due to its high frequency of virulence. This bought an effect on human life directly and caused every human activity to shutter down. As we know well the disease has no cure yet, these types of diseases only be relieved by precautionary measures, so we can get sufficient time to prepare a vaccine. In the first phase of it, all educational institutes and public gatherings were closed. This process may take 4 months to a year to happen. So now the question is how can the educational deficit compensate?

MANAGEMENT:

To tackle situations everywhere around the globe similarly, Higher Education Commission immediately orders every university to start online classes and follow the annual calendar without any hurdle. Universities in Pakistan immediately acted on the order.

PROBLEMS:

Many Universities and Colleges immediately started E-Learning, which is a very positive sign but this 1 simple step cant cover up the whole scenario. Following are the few problems

  ·In Pakistan, about 60% population is Rural which directly means they no proper internet connections.

·How Practicals should be performed in both Medical and Engineering Universities?

·Both Teachers and Students have no previous experience of online classes, so many technical issues caused by understanding level, audio, and video qualities.

·Hostalite Students having no books because this lock-down happens all of sudden.

CURRENT SITUATION:

All universities planned the time table in such a way till 31^st May that all subjects which don’t require practical work will be taught through online classes while all the practical works, Labs, Wards , Industrial Visits, Workshops will be conducted after lock-down.

STUDENTS DEMAND:

If we talk about this, there are two thoughts found on it. One with completely satisfied with university plan. The other class is which is facing the above problems having no proper internet and books to study, so they are demanding to cancel these online classes and till 31^st May all the vocations consider to be EARLY SUMMER VOCATIONS.For this all the students contacted their higher authorities including Private Medical Students Union(PMSU).

So now the ball is in the court of higher authorities, they have to decide from the above options because options are very clear. But still, the question is there What Will happen if lock-down proceeds more than 3 months?

Author: Malik Mutahir Hassan 

Karachi Institute of Medical Sciences KIMS, 

Pakistan.