Building educational institutions -letter
I refer to ‘Chitral News’ editorial “An uunfortunate threat”. Keeping to its tradition, the publication has once again drawn its readers’ attention to the importance of building quality educational institutions in Chitral. The editorial refers to the Aga Khan University’s Professional Development Centre to be built in Jughore, Chital town, which I believe is an invaluable gift to the people of Chitral in general and to those in the town and its nearby villages in particular.
In the past, any kind of education would bring employment; people with three grade education would be teachers or public servant. Today its not years of studies or degrees earned that ensure employment but rather the quality of education received and efficacy of its recipients. In other words, quality education is the only guarantee that will enable the new generations of Chitral to compete with students nationally and internationally for the best opportunities and it is only through quality education that they will build both confidence and capacity to bring about real development in Chitral, for which we all crave.
Keeping to the Prophetic tradition, “seek knowledge even if it is in China”, the AKU Professional Development Centre, as a high quality institution of higher learning, will bring, Insha Allah, from around the world the most advanced knowledge, the most current approaches, and the best teaching and learning practices at the door step of our teachers, students, teacher trainers, researchers, and educational leaders and administrators.
The editorial has rightly observed “that sectarianism is an enemy within us”. Whether it is an enemy or a disease, we expect our leaders – religious, public and community- to overcome this medieval rooted tumour and help ensure a better future for our children in Chitral by providing them good education so that they will not have the degrading scars of poverty, hunger, isolation, lack of confidence resulting in poor self-image that the older generations suffered for a very long time.
Dr. Mir Baiz Khan
Toronto, Canada
Ismailimail 