Education should light a fire, not fill a bucket. It’s time to stop testing for memory—and start teaching for meaning.
- In a system where grades matter more than growth, are we really preparing students for life—or just the next exam?
By MAHNOOR JAMSHAID
The sound of cramming, last-minute notes, and late-night revisions is all too familiar for students in Pakistan. But beneath this cycle of tests and textbooks lies a deeper question: Is our education system truly educating us—or just examining us?
For decades, Pakistan’s curriculum has been driven by memorization, repetition, and exams that reward rote learning over understanding. From primary school to university, students are often trained to memorize definitions, reproduce textbook content, and aim for marks—not mastery.
What’s missing in the Classroom?
Today’s world demands creativity, critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving—skills barely touched upon in most classrooms. A student may learn Newton’s Laws in school but never understand how they apply to the world around them. They may recite poems in English but struggle to write a coherent essay.
The issue isn’t just outdated textbooks—it’s an outdated mindset. Teachers are often underpaid, overburdened, and forced to “teach to the test” because that’s how schools measure success.
Meanwhile, millions of students sit through hours of lessons without ever being asked what they think, believe, or want to create. And that silence speaks volumes.
The Single National Curriculum: One Step Forward?
The government introduced the Single National Curriculum (SNC) to reduce inequality across public and private schools. The idea was to standardize education and provide equal opportunities for all.
But critics argue that while the goal was noble, implementation has been rocky. In many cases, it’s just a new cover on the same old book—still heavy on rote learning, still light on innovation. Teachers weren’t adequately trained, and the material often failed to spark real engagement.
Read: The Crisis of Teaching in Pakistan
Equal content doesn’t guarantee equal quality. Without improving teaching methods, classroom environments, and access to resources, curriculum reform is just surface-level change.
The Real World Doesn’t Give MCQs
Pakistan’s youth face a rapidly evolving job market. Employers are looking for people who can adapt, think independently, and solve problems. But when students are only trained to give the “right answer,” they miss the chance to learn how to think instead of what to think.
This disconnect becomes painfully obvious in universities, where many students feel unprepared for critical analysis or practical application. Even worse, it reflects in our workforce, where innovation and soft skills are often lacking.
What Needs to Change
- Less Memorization, More Exploration: Encourage project-based learning, discussions, and real-world application.
- Teacher Training: Equip educators with modern tools and methods.
- Assessment Reform: Move beyond exams to evaluate creativity, collaboration, and understanding.
- Curriculum Relevance: Update subjects to include digital literacy, climate change, mental health, and civic responsibility.
Conclusion
Pakistan’s youth are smart, resourceful, and full of potential—but the system needs to catch up. If we want to build a future-ready generation, we must stop teaching them just to pass exams and start teaching them how to live, lead, and learn.
“Education should light a fire, not fill a bucket. It’s time to stop testing for memory—and start teaching for meaning.”
Read: The Degrees vs. Skills
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Mahnoor Jamshaid is a second year student at the department of Mass Communication, University of Karachi
