Let them Read , Please – By: Aqib
I received a message from a student yesterday, and this wasn’t the first time I had gotten such a message from students whom I recommend to read books in order to expand their knowledge and understand the true meaning of education. The message said: “Sir, you always suggest that we should read books, but when we come home, they (parents) say that you don’t need to read books other than the ones in your schoolbag.”
It’s really disheartening to receive such messages for a bibliophile who values reading deeply. I can’t understand who is poisoning the minds of our elders by telling them that reading books beyond the curriculum isn’t essential. I’ve been through this phase of life, and my parents, especially my father, always used to encourage me to read more and more. For him, reading and spending quality time with books is the most valuable thing.
As a teacher, I consider reading books is requisite for students, especially in an era where they are surrounded by destructive apps and false informations. Developing a reading habit is crucial for the younger generation, who only focus on grades . What’s more concerning is that even the parents have become numbers-oriented.
Most students who score over 80% in their exams aren’t able to write a single sentence or application properly. This harsh reality is something we continue to ignore. What’s the use of a degree or high marks if you cannot express yourself in a few sentences? I’m not just talking about writing in English, many of them can’t even write in Urdu. Ask them about the lessons they learned in previous classes, and they won’t even remember the topics. Forget explaining concepts in physics, chemistry, or biology. They simply memorize the material for exams and forget it afterward. There are students who show real enthusiasm in getting real education but they are very small in numbers.
The curiosity for knowledge that we had when we were in school, despite not having advanced technology, is gradually being lost among the younger generation.
The behavior of parents who don’t want their children to think outside the box is worsening the mentality of the younger generation more. Focusing only on grades and not allowing children to read books will push them into a quagmire of self-doubt and a despondent future. Let them read, bring books into their lives, make them aware of real knowledge, and prepare them for a future where truly knowledgeable and educated people will be rare.
Aqib Jangbazar Chitral
