Zeeshan Haider
THE Coronavirus has completely changed human customs, values and social traditions. This global pandemic has devastated the entire world system. It is not known how long the world will be in its grip. The second wave of Corona virus is swallowing human lives at a very dangerous rate. Once again, our country is facing a difficult situation.
In view of the rising death toll due to Corona and the gravity of the situation, the government of Pakistan has once again taken the most difficult decision to close educational institutions across the country for a month with the consensus of the four provinces. Keeping in view the utility, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Radio Pakistan for the development of distance education system for radio schools so that students can be protected from educational grievances.
This initiative of the government of Pakistan is commendable. Even before this, the government has introduced a system of tele-schools in collaboration with PTV which is continuing successfully. The need for radio schools was felt because most of them are backward and rural areas. No communication is possible in the areas. Radio Pakistan is the only accessible medium of communication there. Once again, in difficult times, ancient media like Radio Pakistan came in handy which has been neglected in the past. Serious in introducing reforms in broadcasters so that national broadcasters can stand on their own feet. The Ministry of Education has availed the services of Radio Pakistan because the broadcasting of Radio Pakistan has access to urban, rural and remote areas across Pakistan.
The Ministry of Education has decided to offer educational programs from 10 am to 12 noon to continue the educational journey under the name of Radio Schools using the extensive network of Radio Pakistan so that students are not deprived of their basic rights and Education should not be interrupted. The use of distance education system is the most important need of today.
Radio Pakistan’s FM 93 network of Rawalpindi, Muzaffarabad, Gilgit, Skardu and Gwadar FM 94 network of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi and FM 101 network of Faisalabad, Sialkot, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Quetta, Multan, Special broadcasts have been arranged for students from Kohat, Abbottabad, Mirpur, Khairpur, Bahawalpur and Narowal stations as well as Islamabad, Dera Ismail Khan, Quetta, Turbat, Larkana, Khuzdar and Laura from Medium Views Network. These stations will also offer radio school broadcasts to make up for the lack of children’s educational activities so that the children could adorne with the ornaments of education and the educational process could continue. History has shown that Radio Pakistan has played a significant role in the awakening of social and political consciousness.
It is an indisputable fact that for the last 73 years, Radio Pakistan has fulfilled its responsibilities as the custodian of national identity social and cultural ideological values. Undoubtedly, this institution has the status of mother institutions of all media. Whenever any difficult time has come upon the country. Radio Pakistan has played a role along with other institutions which cannot be forgotten, whether it is a situation of floods, earthquakes, wars or other disasters. You will see at the forefront that Radio Pakistan has shown its capabilities and importance by presenting programs in 23 national and foreign languages ??on Coronavirus and proved that it stood first in the media world.
Whenever an organization needs Radio Pakistan, Radio Pakistan provides facilities, but unfortunately, every government treats this organization like a stepmother, but the current government is seems sincere and serious to bring it on modern lines by bringing reforms and in this regard work on the Reformation agenda in full-swing. Director General of Radio Pakistan Umbreen Jan and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz called Radio Pakistan a contemporary of modern era. It is hoped that in the future, Radio Pakistan will be equipped with the latest technology
—The writer is a senior broadcaster/ journalist and producer.
