Education : Needs of the Community

During the session of SOIS (Society of Iqbal Studies) , while discussing thechronology of Pakistan, our discussion moved towards the topic of our Education system.

The participants were sharing their views about the current education system. All were agreed that since the education system at present is not based on firm foundations, it will soon undergo a massive change.

While they all were discussing, I was stuck at very basic questions:

What does actually the Education System mean?
What do we call Education System?
How should it be?

I couldn’t get a chance to ask these questions in the session. However they were continuously revolving in my mind during the whole session and even after that.

I was reading Stray Reflections Iqbal’s private note book (4 ^thedition 2008) and under the caption of ‘Muslim Solidarity’ I came across this statement:

… I do not believe in absolute system of education. Education, like other things, is determined by the needs of community.

Education is determined by the needs of community.

My next question: In which sense the community should be considered? Should it be in the sense of religious based, cultural based, gender based or based on living standards?

If we see our society, it is divided into many communities at lower and upper level.

The people who in live in urban areas, they form one community. Those who are living in rural areas, they form another community and there many sub communities in terms of different aspects of life in the society. But how should we recognise a community that can be considered in a broader sense so that the Education System can be determined on the needs of the community?

Iqbal has referred Muslims as a community.

What are the needs of Muslims as one community through which their education can be determined?

I am in search of the answers which can help me to understand the formula or principles on which our Education System should be based.

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