Social internship / Community Service as Mandatory Course for requirement of Degree

Public sector universities are providing the youth of Pakistan affordable education, these public

sector universities are funded by government which gets it via taxes. Students benefiting from these

universities should be trained to give back to the society. Million man-hours of service for the nation

can be acquired by incorporating a course “Community Service” in Undergraduate curriculum. This

course should have annually decided national goals, with annually revised course material, and

predefined work hours in the field.

2. Introduction

HEC should make community service as an obligatory requirement for fulfillment of any graduate level

Degree. Specifically a student should not graduate unless and until he/she makes one or two illiterate

people, literate. There should be a minimum level of education which every Pakistani should know.

Like basic information about Pakistan, religious tolerance and health.

3. Approaches and Results

According to the HEC website “Total graduates at universities (including affiliated and Private/External

students) were 380773, 360807,448988 and 493993 during the years 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and

2008-09.” If 2008-2009 data is used then 10 hour community service in field would yield 3807730

hours served in national progress. Students working in field would not only be serving the nation

but also learning valuable lessons about life. This community service could include, clean up drives,

short literacy programs, hospital visits, Medical camps etc. Some of the experienced gained during

this course might help the nation in case of any disaster. A different approach could be setting annual

national goals for the youth of the country. This course may have annually decided national goals,

with annually revised course material, and predefined work hours in the field. This will result in a

concentrated annual effort which would lead to a bigger and better change in the society.

Conclusion

HEC should develop a mandatory course for the students. Where they should be trained and some of

their time should be utilized during that course for the service of the nation.

5. Implications and Recommendations

New generation of graduates will be aware of the problems of the nation and would have hands on

field experience in solving the grass root level problems.