The Verdict
Why bother learning when you can just study?

Why bother learning when you can just study?

The pressure of attaining maximum marks has turned our youth into robots who cannot think beyond the results.

Ammara Khan November 21, 2010

Choosing teaching has nothing to do with the ‘holy task’ of imparting knowledge to the students, especially if you are asked to teach intermediate classes. Besides the useless syllabus of the English course which fails to create even the tiniest bit of interest in the students, the standardised exam eliminates the possibility of incorporating some extra activities to help students develop an interest in the subject.

Every time the results of matriculation and intermediate exams are announced over television and newspapers we see students getting more and more marks every year with insanely high percentages. Now, the question we really need to ask is does this make them better at learning? And sadly, the answer is no in most cases. However, the fault resides in our education system itself which encourages students to cram whatever is written in their text books and reproduce it during exams.

The pressure of attaining maximum marks has turned our youth into robots who cannot think beyond the results of their strenuous cramming hours on end. If you try to teach them anything that is not supposed to be included in their final exam, they do not even want to hear about it. I try to devise some class activities to do away with these shortcomings which prove very fruitful at times. I noticed that some of the students in my pre-engineering class are actually great at creative writing and it worries me that down the road to becoming a successful engineer they might lose that gift.

One day I decided to discuss a recent popular science book with the students and I was shocked to see that none of them were even familiar with the name of the author. The pre-engineering class in GCU is supposed to be the best in the province. And imagine my shock when the future engineers told me that they have no interest in science at all. They were rather surprised that their English teacher is interested in science. I wonder how long will we keep our science and arts students segregated like two different social classes and will there ever be a time when knowledge and learning will become the end goal in our education system?

WRITTEN BY:
Ammara Khan A lecturer at GC University Lahore and a freelance writer who is interested in critical theory and feminism.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (14)

Gulrukh =)) | 13 years ago | Reply Hi (^_^) Well, I agree that this practise and mind set of blindly catering to the "getting marks dilemma" is quite rampant in our Pakistani educational system ; people know about it and happily ignore it. So, what we desperately need is series of substantial actions more than words to figure out a way to channel the potential of the students in the right direction. Regards =)

not important | 13 years ago | Reply There are number of things we desire to do, but there are pretty few that we actually do. Majority of things that we actually do, are linked with some sort of motive, while those which we don't apparently do not have any reward. Same goes for our education, our only concern is fulfilling the objective, while we ignore the essence or the subjectivity of education.

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Muhammad Ali Asif | 13 years ago | Reply Creativity is essence of any field of knowledge. I am a Ravian from iiBT (Institute of Industrial Biotechnology) and i am rather surprised to read that people from GCU have such thoughts. We are creating scientists unable to conduct any novel research. Artists unable to understand the true theme of their subject. For both students and teachers, education is mere a source of earning their livelihood or status. Sadly we all have to be part of the system to survive in it. Some teachers in my department should understand the importance of this article's title :)

sarmad malik | 13 years ago | Reply Nyc blog n a gud issue is highlighted by u...our education system as well as our 95% teacherz r equaly responsible for all dis...student is a raw material when he attend his first clas primary teacherz r da sole responsible of all dis shortcomming... I m a examinee of a professional body ICAP and their only 2% students pass da exam ,reason behind ,our primary n secondry level education system's failurencraming is a social evil n v all r equaly responsible for dis.

Fazl Hussain | 13 years ago | Reply Marks are not only single scale to measure someone's intelligence..time has where we need to think beyond all this..

Amina Ansari | 13 years ago | Reply @The Only Normal Person Here.: PARENTS are 110% to blame

Erfan | 13 years ago | Reply Revolutionize the current education system. Follow Sir Ken Robinson, he makes lot of sense.

The Only Normal Person Here. | 13 years ago | Reply Good write up. However, Parents are equally to be blame.

feathered brain | 13 years ago | Reply agree with each and every single point.... this system is really making students a "RATTO TOTA".... even our teachers wants the same and exact wording that is written on the book.... most of our teacher still don't believe in conceptualization!

Sarah B. Haider | 13 years ago | Reply I think the very practice of copying down the lecture especially when it comes to social science subjects is a laborious activity. The entire concentration of pupil is diverted toward listening and jotting down instead of comprehending the lectures. Secondly, the syllabus of intermediate English is obsolete and nobody takes notice of it. My father also read 'Birkenhead Drill' and 'My Bank Account' and I read them as well. He was rather surprised to see that the syllabus hasn't changed a bit. And I fully agree that those students who cram each and everything get the highest marks at intermediate level. I remember when I was in 1st year at college, my Botany teacher awarded me with 2/10 marks for writing the definition of 'plant cell'. When I protested, she told me off by saying "Sarah yeh apka O'level system nahi hai so better start studying' :O

Ali Sadozai | 13 years ago | Reply Even at University level, cramming is praised as a easy way out method. What is important that students should enter the class room with a mindset that they are going to learn a new thing today from a lecture. This kind of mindset will keep students interested in learnings.

mir liyaqat | 13 years ago | Reply Asalamo alikum respected blogger, i think there is a proffesional chance and choice prevailing in our education system. Unfortunately in the sub continent, we are still following the traditional method of teaching and learning which have made minds of both teacher and student barren. Teachers are not willing to use new creative methods in their class rooms because they dont want to increase their study burden and on ther hand students are mad after percentage and they are not ready to think beyound syallabus. There are such teachers in our education sector which should have not been there but the system is such you can not do anything but only lament. The recent movie 'three idiots' is a slap on our education system. Kind regards

Salman | 13 years ago | Reply You've highlighted a very important issue. There's a serious need to overhaul the education system of our country. Fantastic blog post!

Deen Sheikh | 13 years ago | Reply Dear fellow blogger A good day to you, what you have highlighted is not limited to school level but can also be found at university level also, i spent a semester or 2 at a very reputed university in Karachi, before going overseas, emphasis is on cramming, getting good grades and a respectable gpa, none exists in the merit of learning, also many teachers today see teaching as just a paycheck instead of making efforts to contribute towards learning and development. Actual learning is communicated by only a handfull of even university teachers. To get students interested, learning and its importance emphasised and not let the flaws of the system we live in consume us. Kind regards

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