I am grateful to the alumni of “Gordonian Own” for providing a platform to discuss important issues related to education and social matters.
It is a patriotic gesture to address national challenges and work towards strengthening Pakistan.
However, I humbly suggest that religious and political differences should be avoided in such discussions.
Let me share my views on the nationalization of educational institutions and hospitals.
Some have supported and others opposed the nationalization under Mr.Bhutto’s government.
To focus on our city, Rawalpindi, Gordon College was nationalized in 1972.
I was a student there from 1963 to 1969, and later began teaching.
Prior to nationalization, there was constant pressure from American and Christian administrations, and teachers could be removed without notice.
Mr.Bhutto’s nationalization made education accessible to all, ensuring the rich and poor attended the same schools and colleges, promoting equality.
However, General Zia reversed this policy, permitting the rise of private schools with exorbitant fees, often reaching 30,000 rupees per month.
Such fees are unaffordable for the average salaried person, resulting in a divide where only the wealthy—capitalists, industrialists and landlords—can afford quality education.
The elite send their children to foreign institutions, and these children, having attended expensive private schools, tend to dominate positions in the army and bureaucracy.
This division has fostered a class society where children from public schools remain at the lower rungs of the social ladder, leading to the creation of an elitist class that thinks of itself as superior.
The divide between public and private schools has produced arrogant rulers and obedient subordinates, a dysfunctional social structure.
The situation in healthcare mirrors this education divide.
In Rawalpindi, the “Holy Family Hospital” was once reserved for the wealthy, but it was nationalized under Bhutto’s government, ensuring equal healthcare access for the rich and poor.
However, General Zia’s policies led to the establishment of private hospitals.
Today, many senior doctors, including those trained abroad, prefer private practice over serving in public hospitals.
This has resulted in exorbitant charges for treatments, with doctors charging as much as five thousand rupees for a five-minute consultation.
This exploitation, akin to “usury” (Riba), is un-Islamic, as excessive charges are condemned in Islamic teachings.
Government doctors, paid by the state, also engage in private practice, further exploiting the public.
Pakistan’s healthcare system is plagued by corruption.
Many government doctors neglect their duties and patients in public hospitals are often deprived of the necessary treatments and medicines, leading to unnecessary deaths.
The state has failed to provide adequate care for its citizens.
In the light of these issues, I believe there is a pressing need for the nationalization of education and healthcare once again.
This would ensure equal access for all citizens, regardless of their social or economic background.
After nationalization, it is the responsibility of the ruling government to ensure the proper functioning of these sectors.
The lack of a national character, which is evident in our educational and healthcare systems, is a grave concern.
Teachers, politicians, journalists and all leaders must focus on nation-building, for without a strong, educated populace, we cannot progress as a country.
Long live Pakistan!
—The writer is a contributing columnist, based in New York. (drmaqsoodjafri@gmail.com)
