The Educationist: Tell us about your early education and where have you served before joining Pak Turk Schools and Colleges System?

Aslam Bhatti: I did my matriculation with flying colors from Govt High School No.1 from Haveli Lakhan, District Okara. I topped Lahore Board with the grace of Almighty Allah and due to prayers of my dear parents and teachers in 1996. Later, I got admission to Govt. College University on scholarship and did graduation there. In GCU I participated in curricular and co-curricular activities and remained active with Majlis-e-Iqbal, Ibne Sena Society and Ravi magazine.I did MPhil and Masters in political science from PU in 2002. I had been class representative and remained pioneer of the magazine titled as “Al siyash”.Only two students could win the scholarship and Alhamdulillah I was one of them.I joined Pak Turk School and Colleges Peshawar campus as a teacher in 2002.after some time I was transferred to Lahore campus as vice principal. I worked as Secretary General of Pak Turk Association for six years from 2010 to 2016. Since November 2016 I have been serving as Principal, director administrator and coordinator.

The Educationist: How can you differentiate our education system with foreign states like Japan, Canada? And do you believe there is discrepancy in the techniques and the methodology of imparting knowledge while O- A level students here in Pakistan and other Pakistan?

Aslam Bhatti: You have asked two different questions. First you know very well that in Pakistan there are more than education systems for example Madrisaa school, Public Sector school, elite and non elite English medium school. Mainly we are more concerned with theoretical education than anything else. As far as matriculation and F.Sc education is concerned, there are certain ground realities like extensive syllabus and substantial memorization where quantity is appreciated is more than quality.

Hence, O level education emphasizes more upon conceptual clarity and students’ actual logical practices are recognized. Japan is worldwide famous for its advanced technology because they are chiefly focused on technical education. This is practiced in Germany and Malaysia as well. Our delegation toured Malaysia and came to know that they featured their education system on professional and business oriented goals. Malaysian Universities analyze student tendency towards various kind of business and assign the students variety of projects. Universities sponsored the projects and provide display centers. If students are brilliant enough to propose innovative practical item, government further supports the idea. In outset of new brands, the government finances the brand owner in the form grants and funds. Later when the brand reaches at certain level, government taxes are applied on them. Pakistani education system is based on theory far from technical and profession mode of education as it has been practiced in Japan, Germany, and Canada etc

The Educationist: What were the factors and purposes behind the formation of Pak Turk School System?

Aslam Bhatti: Pakistan had been enjoying very cordially and brotherly relations with Turkey since time immemorial. Its basic aim was to develop further bilateral relations. In educational context, it aims to produce golden generation imbibed with moral, cultural and religious values along with imparting quality education with modern advanced technology.

The Educationist: How many branches of Pak Turk have been running across Pakistan?

Aslam Bhatti: Twenty nine campuses in twelve cities have been working successfully with a mission to provide quality education.  Almost fifteen thousands have been studying with the faculty of fifteen hundred staff members.

The Educationist: What is ratio of academic excellence of your faculty?

Aslam Bhatti:  Almost 70% of faculty members are Masters Degree holders whereas 20% faculty members are graduated and 10% are M-Phil.

The Educationist: What are national and international achievements of Pak Turk schools in co curricular activities?

Aslam Bhatti:  PAK Turk Schools always stand eminent in exhibiting the best participation in national and international events held so far. Particularly our students won the titles of Best Diplomats, Special Honorary Mentions, Out Standing diplomacy in MUN held in various elite schools of Pakistan.Our students also participated in NSTC (National Science Talent Contest) and were qualified for finals. Another distinct feature is to organize ISMO (Inter School Mathmatics Olympiads). Every year, almost 1500 students from junior and middle participate in it. We encourage the winner by rewarding him/her the title of Al Khawarzmi as well as cash prize of 5lac. In science projects and Olympiads, Pak Turk students have secured 84 gold medals in 131 countries, 71 bronze medals and 43 silver medals. Collectively we won 198 medals in national and international contests.

The Educationist: How can you distinguish your system in the context of supporting the down trodden masses in far flung areas?

Aslam Bhatti: We are extremely proud of this very tradition of Pak Turk schools. We don’t ignore underprivileged section of society. We visit to remote areas for entry tests and select the talented students. Such needy students are provided boarding facility and free education without charging them single penny.

The Educationist: What are the future plans of Pak Turk Schools?

Aslam Bhatti: We are determined to have many more branches, colleges and universities in many other big cities of Pakistan for example, Gujranwala, Sialkot etc. these are pipelined projects.

The Educationist: How can we improve our literacy rate with low educational budget?

Aslam Bhatti: As provision of education and improvement of literacy rate should be the foremost duty of state and with 2.1 % budget where almost 20 million students are out of school and very poor. In such alarming situation, it’s the duty of social and print media, civil society and people at helms of affairs need to create awareness among the parents and tell them how education can play vital role in revolutionizing their present pitiable state.In Turkish society, parents are punished if they don’t send their offspring to school. Or society differs we can’t have this practice in Pakistan. We can give the incentives like pocket money, scholarship and at least free education till inter mediate can be viable solution to the problem.

The Educationist:  Why people nowadays are more attracted towards private elite schools than public sector schools?

Aslam Bhatti: Years back government schools were imparting quality education when their standard got lower it was at that time when private schools began to be more popular than ever. People rushed towards such schools and preferred them to government schools.