Our education system is outdated, disconnected and uninspiring. We are taught to memorise facts instead of understanding concepts. In our exams, we are asked questions like: What is the height of K2 in feet? What was Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s mother’s name? These are facts that Google can answer in seconds. But is this the kind of knowledge that will solve Pakistan’s energy crisis, eliminate poverty or prepare us for the challenges of climate change, artificial intelligence and the global digital economy?
Across the world, students are learning coding in middle school. They’re discussing ethics in AI, understanding climate policies and learning about entrepreneurship before they finish college. Meanwhile, Pakistan is still stuck in a 20th century mindset in the 21st century.
In Finland, one of the world’s most respected education systems, students are not taught to memorise but rather to question, to explore and to solve problems. Teachers are highly trained and trusted to design learning experiences.
In Rwanda, a country that faced one of the most horrific genocides in history, education reform has become a national priority. Today, Rwanda teaches coding in public schools and uses tablets for learning in rural areas. If they can do it, why can’t we?
We have had brilliant young minds who have shown the world what Pakistan can do. But without a modern, forward-thinking education system, we are wasting that potential. We need a curriculum that includes coding, environmental science, data literacy and entrepreneurship; exams that test understanding over memory; educators trained to guide discussions, encourage debates and spark curiosity; and a national education policy that prepares us for a globalised, digital world.
If we don’t act now, we will keep producing generations who know the height of K2 but not how to climb the mountains that truly matter.
Farhad Shohaz
Quetta
