Must Read- Muslims Most Civilised – 16: Education
Despite shortcomings, Muslims Most Civilised in the World – 16
Education
-- The education, in effect, trains how best to infatuate others, to push one's own interests, to keep the seamier side covered, to enhance market potential by innovative tactics and to cash in on people's susceptibilities, leanings, sentiments and desires……. It can be seen that the literacy rates in the Muslim countries is generally very good with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan have about 99 pc literacy rate and are ranked ahead of the US and UK, Uzbekistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Kuwait, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates have all a literacy rate of more than 90, Lebanon, Bahrain, Turkey, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran and Oman have the percentage of more than 80…. The per population number of secondary school students in Indonesia is better than the United States and almost as good as India. The same is true with Iran, which has a better percentage than almost every country in the list… A 2010 report by Canadian research firm Science-Metrix has put Iran in the top rank globally in terms of growth in scientific productivity with a 14.4 growth index followed by South Korea with a 9.8 growth index.[126] Iran's growth rate in science and technology is 11 times more than the average growth of the world's output in 2009 and in terms of total output per year,
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Dr Javed Jamil*
Table of Comparison of Criteria of Civilization (Studied till now)
Criteria Western World Muslim World
Murder Rate Extremely High Extremely Low
Rapes Extremely High Extremely Low
Incarceration Rate Extremely High Extremely Low
Killings in Wars Extremely High Extremely Low
Terrorism/counter-terrorism Hardly 4000 More than 1 million
Children born out of wedlock Extremely High (30-53%) Rare
Abortions (Induced) Extremely High (25-50%) Extremely Low
Divorce Rate Extremely High (25-50%) Low (1-12%)
Children with Single Parents Extremely High Low
Sexual abuse of children High Much Lower
Commercial Sexual abuse High Negligible
Institutionalized Homosexuality Growing in popularity Unknown
Socially & Legally sanctioned Not sanctioned
Prostitution & Pornography Socially & Legally sanctioned Not sanctioned (Much lower in terms of prostitutes, customers, revenue in Muslim countries than others)
Promiscuity Extremely high Extremely low
Alcohol consumption and effects Extremely high Low
Gambling revenues and effects High Low
Life Expectancy at birth High Almost as High
In most countries
Life Expectancy at conception Much Lower Much higher
We will now discuss a criterion, the educational achievements, that many might believe would tilt the balance in favour of Western countries. This is true to some extent that in terms of scientific and technological knowledge, Muslims lag behind the West in a substantial way. But as will be seen below that the difference is not as high as many believe and propagate and Muslim countries are fast catching up. The statistics would in fact emerge as a pleasant surprise even for those who feel bad about the current scenario. But before discussing the statistics, let us first discuss what education has come to mean in the modern world, and what are the impact of the western model of education, which is meant to make people earn their livelihood within the limits imposed by the economic tyrants and not to make their lives morally more correct, more peaceful and healthier.
Knowledge, since antiquity, has been regarded as precious by men, irrespective of the geographical area of the earth they belong to. Various civilizations that flourished thousands of years back in different parts of the world had prospered only due to the commanding presence of knowledgeable and talented persons in their constituent population. The prophets and sages have always been marshalling the people with invaluable instructions for betterment in life. Even, if the majority of them had not been literate in the sense that they could not peruse and scribble their ability to admire knowledge was outstanding. With the march of time, the importance of gaining knowledge in a systematic manner, that is education, has not only grown, it has indeed become indispensable for every man and woman. It has ceased to be confined to the elite and now attracts the urban and the rural people alike. The standard of education has varied from time to time and from area to area. But an educated person has almost always enjoyed a status embellished with dignity, honour and eminence. In the ancient times, India, Greece, Egypt, China and Babylon had made gigantic efforts in the fields like mathematics, ethics, history and philosophy. In the recent past, first the Muslims of Arab and then the Christians of Europe and America have given tremendous impetus to educational pursuits. All the branches of education are multiplying rapidly. Philosophy, Theology, Mathematics and Medicine ware already present in the medieval period in inchoate or developing stages. Then emerged subjects like Astronomy, Algebra, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Anatomy. The modern times have introduced hundreds of ramifications including Evolution, Genetics, Astrophysics, computer Sciences, specialized surgeries and Nuclear Physics. And the list is steadily lengthening.
Before the emergence of economic fundamentalism in all the affairs of society, education served as a means to build personality in terms of morals and character. Its goal was to develop a penchant for what is good and aversion for what is bad for society and oneself; it used to inculcate a sense of self-righteousness, sacrifice and service. The pupils were trained by the teacher so as to prepare them to indefatigably instruct and help others to the best of their abilities. The more educated a person the more he was supposed to be honest, truthful and imprudent; he was expected to be inexorable against the barricades of worldly desires. For most of the learned, physicians, philosophers, writers and poets, money was at the most a secondary consideration; their primary aim used to be to disseminate information and to support the needy. Many of them would labor day and night to serve others. What they looked for and gained in bargain was neither the coins and gifts nor luxuries of life but self-satisfaction and dignified status in society. Many of them displayed indomitable courage in the face of compelling circumstances and led crusades against the evils prevailing in their times; they of course had to face severe persecution at the hands of the perpetrators of injustice, suppression and exploitation. Their faith in the Creator, or in their own conscience, would imbue them with astounding tolerance and inscrutable endurance and they would not be perturbed or crestfallen in the face of direct challenges. They would not compromise a rudder even when death stared at them or starvation threatened their survival; they would prefer to kiss martyrdom rather than embrace worldly glory. So much was the charisma of their untainted character that even the hardened criminals, diehard apostates and perverts would exhibit strong will to undergo transformation following a solitary contact with them; their savage ribaldry would evaporate, and a person, who always used to scheme how to loot and kill others, would be prepared to sacrifice all his physical and material belongings for the sake of mankind. The influence of education was also discernible in the attitude of common people towards the weak, the poor and the deprived; people were always keen to help them. The teacher-taught relationship used to have a healthy sentimental colour. The students would be severely punished by the teachers at their slightest foibles and yet their love and respect of the students for them would never get diluted. The students knew that if the teachers beat them with cane, there was no mala fide intention behind their act and they were genuinely interested in reforming and civilising them.
An environment in school and colleges that focuses on character-building and inculcates ideas of simple living in the minds of the grooming boys and girls was but an absurdity in the eyes of the economic fundamentalists. They realized pretty well that the school days had the biggest impact on the mind-set of the students, and once their propinquity matured, riposte would be extremely difficult. The rising popularity of education in the masses further strengthened their resolve to hijack it. Their game-plan had two basic components. First, they had an eye on the prospects of education which could yield a new market. Second, they wished to train the students on a specific pattern that would build their personality not as person of high morals but as skilled managers and salesmen, efficient workers, and excellent consumers. So, different routes of progress in the march of economic fundamentalism were also imposed on schools and colleges. Formerly, the syllabus contained a sizeable quota of religious instructions and moral education. The emeritus of religion from society meant that the religious contents were steadily banished from the curriculum. The inspiring tales of saints and reformers were replaced by exciting love legends. The stories of Romeo and Juliet, Sheereen and Farhad and Laila and Majnu became immensely popular among the students. The only form of male-female relationship that was projected was love-affair; the emerging literature had no interest in mother-son, brother-sister and father-daughter relationship; these had very little commercial prospects.
The tone and contents of education continued to undergo steady transformation. The moral sciences were substituted by the nature sciences. Later, the subjects related with Economics and Commerce started entering the syllabi. Subjects like History, Theology and Civics have now become outmoded. The management courses are gaining in currency because by studying these courses, the prospects of getting lucrative jobs considerably enhance. The professional courses have become bereft of any ethical contents; they inculcate sheer commercialism. The industry-related courses like fashion-designing, hotel management, beauty care, etc. are understandably prospering.
Thus the education that in the past had a distinct egalitarian touch and was not necessarily linked with financial objectives has now become vastly commercialized. The modern liberal social values have been successively introduced into schools and colleges. The goal of education having been incarcerated to finances, the boys and girls opt for recherche courses, their choice usually depending upon the economic future expected; the courses that lead to services giving attractive emoluments and lucrative perks are pursued by the more brilliant students. The boys and girls belonging to the industrial families often join courses to get acquainted with the nuances of business, management and technology; after finishing their apprenticeship, they establish their own factories or companies. Money is the ultimate target; morals have no pecuniary prospects, at least in the immediate future. Ethics, therefore, occupy no place in their scheme of things. The professional courses emblazon the students with unadulterated professionalism; this means that they must learn how to present oneself or one's products or company so that the business can achieve big heights. The education, in effect, trains how best to infatuate others, to push one's own interests, to keep the seamier side covered, to enhance market potential by innovative tactics and to cash in on people's susceptibilities, leanings, sentiments and desires. The products of modern education are destined to become a part of the grand design of the big merchants and manufacturers who need managers, supervisors, sales-persons and marketing executives for their companies; the students must receive training in their educational career befitting their requirements. It is hardly surprising therefore that the modern educated class experiences a feeling of neither any reluctance before nor any compunction after lying, misinforming, cheating, bribing (or getting bribed) and slandering others; these have, in fact, become essential paraphernalia of a successful businessman, business executive or officer. The 'education' only instills confidence and sophistication for pursuing their activities with perfection.
The environment in the present day colleges and universities is consistent with the interest of industries in great many respects. Coeducation has bred exhibitionist proclivities among students who wear costly dresses and shoes and use high priced perfumes to gain popularity among the fellow students. In university campuses, the boys and girls can be easily found gloating at one another. Consequent on their craze for music and films, they tend to dissipate their money on video and audio recorders, cassettes and music videos. Hardly a minuscule percentage of university and degree college students develop academic brilliance. The overwhelming majority is consumed by the consumerist culture assiduously pushed by the economic fundamentalists. This money comes from their parents, and often against their wish, causing great chagrin to their minds.
Describing how the modern education has become a hindrance in achievement of real happiness, Mill says :"The happiness which they (the philosophers who thought that happiness is the end of life) meant was not a life of rapture; but moments of such, in an existence made up of few and transitory pains, many and various pleasures, with a decided predominance of the active over the passive, and having as the foundation of the whole, not to expect more from life than it is a capable of bestowing. A life thus composed, to those who have been fortunate enough to obtain it, has always appeared worthy for the name of happiness, And such an existence is even now the lot of many, during some considerable portion of their lives. The present wretched education and wretched social arrangements are the only real hindrance to its being attainable by almost all".
In West, the education is mostly modern education. There are hardly any centres for moral education. In Muslim countries, both modern and moral education are given importance in variable degrees. The general impression propagated through media is that Muslim countries do have only Madrasas that provide a kind of religious education which ishardly required in today's world. I can understand that today's Madrasas are meant primarily for the purpose of the religiouslearning including the Islamic Law and do not teach advanced subjects of natural, technological and medical sciences. But the same is true of many of the modern universities most of which have a large number of departments and centres for subjectsother than sciences including History, Religious Sciences, Political and Social Sciences, Law, languages and philosophy. If Madrasas are teaching Arabic language, Islamic Theology, Islamic Law, Islamic History and Quranic Sciences, Philosophy and Moral Sciences, why are these being looked at with hatred and concern. The source of concern is obviously the fact that moral education has no place in the plan of the forces of economics. They do not want righteous people caring for what is right and wrong. They want people drowned from head to toe in addictions of all types; they do not need morally upright people who consume none of what is supplied to them by the market. Thery need an increasing number of consumers who avail their services whatever is its cost on their personal, family and social lives. Of what use are the couples that enjoy their company inside their homes and not in the hotels, beaches, bars and casinos? Of what use are the teenagers that prefer to stay in their houses rather than thronging the clubs, theatres and brothels?
To the sheer frustration of the proponents of modern education, I can pose questions of a different nature altogether. Of what use is the education that does not teach the difference between what is threatening for life and peace in life and what is beneficial for them? Of what use is the education that makes people learn a false concept of freedom making them vulnerable to dangerous practices? Of what use is the education that makes people becoming employers in industries that are killing people and destroying their personal calm, family peace and social order? Of what use is education despite which the violence in society is increasing alarmingly? Of what purpose is the knowledge of Legal system that does not adequately punish every criminal that does not diminish violence and does not help in the establishment of a just and peaceful system?
Let us now study the position of different countries from the point of view of important indicators of education.
Literacy Rate
The following is the ranking of the countries in terms of literacy rate:
— United Nations Development Programme Report 2009.BlogThis!Share to FacebookShare to Pinterest
