Reforming classroom learning

Education in Pakistan has become an outdated tool for career development and social mobility. It is delivered through public institutions, autonomous bodies and private schools, yet remains fragmented across multiple curricula and learning pathways. This disconnected structure perpetuates segregation and discrimination. A class-based education system is deepening social divides, shaping not only access but also attitudes and worldviews.

Middle-class families are increasingly unable to afford private schools, colleges and universities. Their children develop a distinctly different outlook compared to those in elite institutions. Many unregulated private institutions, driven purely by profit, often produce individuals disconnected from cultural values, lacking moral education and social responsibility. The bureaucratisation of public-sector education has further stifled learning. Inefficient systems have led to academic stagnation, poor classroom engagement and weak character formation. Adolescence (14-18 years) is a formative stage when young students begin to understand responsibility and shape their identity. University years (19-22 years) should refine communication, leadership and social skills. Yet educational institutions largely fail to nurture these capacities.

Like many developing countries, Pakistan struggles to enhance the quality of its human capital. Fragmented policies, poor coordination across educational tiers, limited use of technology and a widening mismatch between skills taught and market demands continue to undermine progress. Traditional teaching methods do not integrate innovation, sustainability or digital literacy. A multi-sectoral approach is urgently required — bringing together education departments, examination boards, and the IT sector — to design coherent, responsive policy interventions. The goal must be to improve learning outcomes, enhance skill relevance and equip students with 21st-century competencies.

Today's classroom has become uninspiring for both students and teachers. It fails to provide updated knowledge or practical learning. This widens the gap between student expectations and teacher delivery. Young learners no longer believe that classrooms can help them gain expertise or prepare them for real-world challenges. Unless classrooms evolve into training spaces, education will remain passive and disconnected from life. Changing students' attitudes toward learning requires active, engaging pedagogies that build practical abilities alongside digital intelligence. Students should be given opportunities to showcase creative work, receive constructive feedback and feel valued for their efforts. Teachers must adapt to new teaching methods suited to digitally native learners.

Another growing concern is the excessive reliance on digital content and immersive virtual experiences, which increasingly replace real-life social interaction. Such digital dependence can distort behaviour and contribute to emotional detachment among young learners. Parents must therefore take an active role in regulating screen time, while schools should prioritise lesson plans grounded in real-world engagement. Smart classrooms equipped with essential IT infrastructure should be used not merely for consumption but for fostering creativity, critical thinking and innovation and developing the higher order cognitive skills of pupils.

Conversely, the absence of IT and science labs in many schools discourages students from pursuing scientific fields. At the same time, the overemphasis on rote-based study materials in public-sector schools' places students with interests in social sciences, arts and humanities at a disadvantage. Without access to supportive learning facilities, true classroom engagement remains unattainable.

Updated libraries, for example, can enable students to further explore subjects taught in class, conduct independent research and prepare for debates. Likewise, access to sports and co-curricular activities contributes significantly to intellectual development, enhancing confidence, teamwork and discipline.

School education in Pakistan is overly rigid and urgently needs reform. The state should support transformation without imposing excessive bureaucratic frameworks. Regulation is essential, but flexibility must be ensured to allow innovation. Curricula should offer genuine choice. Students should not be forced into subjects like mathematics if they lack aptitude. Instead, they should be allowed to explore other subjects related to science, arts or humanities according to their strengths. After completing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination, they should be free to select among the available academic pathways.

In the 182nd meeting of the Inter Boards Coordination Commission (IBCC), held on 7-8 August 2025, it was observed that the Federal Board already allows SSC (Arts) students to register for Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Pre-Engineering and Pre-Medical groups. Thus, the implementation of this policy across all boards was pending. However, consequent upon the recommendation of sub-committee and response received from the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) and Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM& DC), IBCC in its recent 183rd meeting held on 4-5 December 2025 has unanimously resolved that students who have passed SSC (Arts) may be allowed to register for HSC Pre-Medical and Pre-Engineering groups, effective from the 1st annual examination 2026 onwards.

Approving a broad-based matriculation prerequisite for admission to pre-medical and pre-engineering streams would go a long way in reducing anxiety, stress and disillusionment among students during their 16-year academic journey.

The IBCC has also endorsed a revised grading scheme with updated descriptors. The A++ category (96-100%) has now been designated as 'Extraordinary', while A+ (91-95%) and A (86-90%) fall under 'Exceptional' and 'Outstanding', respectively. Notably, the terms "below average" and "unsatisfactory" have been replaced with terms "emerging" and "Ungraded".

This shift towards encouraging terminology, coupled with expanded counselling opportunities, will help students make informed choices between science, arts or vocational pathways. Allowing them to align education with their aptitude, interests and curiosity is essential for sustaining motivation and excellence in their chosen fields. This is how classroom learning can be revitalized — by modernising infrastructure and restoring education's relevance, dignity and inspiration for aspiring learners. Only then can education truly become a force for human development rather than exclusion.