New teaching practices

The education sector in Pakistan is notable for its overreliance on archaic methods of teaching, especially the technique of rote memorisation which has produced countless mnemonists but not many thinkers. Students are encouraged to fill in pages upon pages of information without meaningful assessments to back up their comprehension, and anyone who learns differently simply falls behind. This traditional mode of teaching is finally being challenged by the federal government, which is touting an inefficient method of teaching as an 'overburden' on primary students.

Unfortunately, inefficient teaching practices can be observed in the country throughout all grades, but Early Childhood Education (ECE) emphasises the importance of providing holistic play-based learning to children up to the age of eight. In the early years, a child develops their cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills which is why the government's recent draft aimed at introducing fun learning activities and civic studies is imperative.

A technical committee on the New National Curriculum also highlighted the need for focusing on life safety skills, climate change, financial literacy and social studies for early learners. This initiative is what will truly prepare children for success in the longer run. Concurrently, this new study scheme must be introduced alongside meaningful changes on an administrative level in schools. Teaching practices of veteran educators are often hardwired to follow habit. Therefore, teacher training workshops should be mandatory to ease the transition for both instructors and learners.

Moreover, teaching practices should always be backed by the decades of research in educational psychology, which also emphasises the importance of keeping parents in the loop of their children's learning. In order to effectively implement what currently seems like an idea rather than a plan, the educational sector requires a cultural shift. The government must ensure cooperation with all stakeholders, and that involves student, teacher, parents, educationalists and policymakers.