Education: A Point of Concern

The fighting has ended with the guns but it is yet to begin with the pen. The education is undeniably the most serious concern for many as it holds the key to the future of Libya. Most of the schools in the whole country have not even started the New Year course as the curriculum is not yet ready. The preparation of the curriculum is not the lone worry for the administrators as bringing the students back to the school will also take some effort. The trauma of war can be too much for the young children to handle and it will require more than the usual desire to learn something new in the school.

The education system needs to be revamped and it needs to be done quickly without wasting any more time. It would have been the best if NTC already had somebody working on the new curriculum from the early days in Benghazi so that the new school year could have started in time, but that never happened. The standard of education should be lifted to such level that it could easily compete with the best in the world. There is no dearth of brilliant minds in Libya but you have to provide them at least with a satisfactory environment to groom their talent, this is the bottom line of course. If they are educated in a competitive environment with a high level of education, there is absolutely no doubt that they will flourish in all disciplines of science and arts.

I have had the pleasure to talk with some of the promising students in the Tripoli University and I was amazed at the level of their dedication. The all raised the same question on the standard of education they were getting over the years. They level of education was extremely poor during the 42 years of Gaddafi regime. The subjects taught were outdated and the curriculum that was devised by his minions focused on one main idea, how to keep the minds of the Libyan people closed. Ruining the level of education was one of his many dastardly acts. With restricting the approach of Libyan youth to the high level of education he strengthened his grip on the country as he was sure that without the top notch education nobody will ever be able to realize the fact that he has enslaved them.

Some people were lucky to get good education in the same time as they were being educated in the military colleges where the standard was comparatively high as compared to the civilian ones. The difference in standard was not incidental but it was done on purpose as the graduates were to serve in the military. Education is one of the main reasons that the 17th Feb happened for. Right to education is a must but it is up to the government to make sure the level of education is at par with the very best in the world to ensure a secure and peaceful environment, where the children could come and learn. It is also the governments responsibility to ensure that all the schools met a certain criteria so that students are equipped with the modern knowledge to take the world head-on, no matter where they study.

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27/12/2011

It will be really important to see what changes will be done to the existing curriculum, only if it is to be retained somehow. The making of the new curriculum is of grave importance and it will be interesting to see how the interim education minister handles this issue as it will play a key role in making the minds of young children, the future of Libya. Without a doubt its a daunting task but it has to be completed in time so that the children can put this all behind themselves and can go straight back to the studies. It is not only about studies but the mental health of the children. This revolution has been grown out of the blood of thousands and it has affected every household. It will be next to impossible to find a family who has not been affected by this revolution. Thus, it is extremely necessary to take the children out of all this sorrow and gloominess and give them a perfect environment where they cannot only study but think!

Teaching is a noble profession and this goes without saying that how much gem of a role the teachers will be playing in the upcoming days. They will not only have to teach them but will also to bring them back to life. It will be hard as you cannot just snap out of the blue but the teachers can make this happen. The new curriculum could only provide you with the reading material but it takes a teacher to explain and make the student understand. The teachers will not only have to teach the next generation, Science or Arts but also tolerance, discipline and unity. So the students dont only shine in education but in all aspects of life and contribute in making our world a better place to live.

I was recently told by a professor that most of his students are horrible in basic mathematics and it is only because of the sub-standard material they were taught ignorantly in the primary and secondary schools. This has to change from the grassroots level and the people in-charge must make sure that the new books are not only of the highest standard but at the same time very gripping and rich in culture that students are inclined to study.

The education should be the foremost priority not only for the NTC but also for all the future governments. Education is the foundation of the country and you cannot afford to experiment with it. We should do our duty to empower the youth by giving them the best possible education and enabling them to dream big. As they say half of the work is done with the dreaming and if you can dream it, you can certainly achieve it!

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27/12/2011