Mishal in Media

Speakers rue lack of media role in education

Publication: The Nation
Date:  May 9, 2014
Web Address:-   http://www.nation.com.pk/national/13-May-2014/speakers-rue-lack-of-media-role-in-education

BAHAWALPUR-Low enrollment rate, poor quality, lack of accountability and absence of discourse are the key problems being faced by the education sector of Pakistan and the same could not be solved without the active participation of all the segments of society especially the media, according to the consensus made at a workshop held on education and journalism here on Saturday.

“A survey report has revealed that 24 percent children between 5 16 years of age in Bahawalpur have no access to schools. The survey was launched by the Annual Status of Education Report. There is dire need for improving the accountability, media coverage of the educational issues and consensus on provincial-level educational policies by engaging the media, legislators and educationists,” the workshop participants said.

Bahawalpur Press Club President Shahid Akhtar while sharing his views about the major problems in the sector in Southern Punjab said that the most effective way to achieve development and long-term improvement in the health sector was to educate the females. “Through the powerful voice of media, journalists should carry out accountability of legislators, policy-makers and educationists for the betterment of the education sector,” he added.

Department of Media Studies at Islamia University of Bahawalpur Chairman Dr Ghulam Shabbir Baloch spoke on the role of media in the current state of education in Pakistan. He said that media was a key factor for the policy development. He said that Pakistan was faced with the emergency situation in the education sector but due coverage was not being given by the electronics and print media.

Journalist Mubashar Zaidi said that the education was one of the most neglected sectors by the media. “Most of the issues related to education and literacy are being reported in irrelevant context; this undermines and diminishes the importance of the educational, training and child development challenges,” he added.

 

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