In my classroom, I encounter students who are more concerned with securing marks than acquiring knowledge. Some have learned to memorise answers, while others believe grades could be secured through influence or money. Parents, too, often measure educational success by examination scores and admission to prestigious university programmes. The result is an education culture in which certificates matter more than competence and grades matter more than genuine learning.
While conducting research into why Pakistan has failed to provide the education its children need, I found that the country’s education sector is facing a severe learning crisis. Some schools exist only in government records, with little or no student enrolment in reality. Even where schools function, the curriculum and teaching methods often focus more on cramming and examination performance than on practical education.
The 2025 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) estimates that about 26.2 million school-age children are out of formal schooling. Among those who are enrolled, many still struggle to read and write with a proper understanding of the language used in education. Others lack digital literacy, which is now an important part of education.
Enrolment is not education, and examination success is not learning. This is where the problem of learning poverty begins. A child may attend school for years and still fail to acquire basic literacy and skills. Similarly, a student may achieve high marks through memorisation without developing the ability to think positively, solve problems or apply knowledge to real-life situations.
The decline in educational standards is closely linked to whom we entrust with the responsibility of teaching. Hiring teachers who are poorly paid, inadequately trained and reliant on outdated methods means prioritising examination content over developing students’ ability to understand and apply the knowledge.
The consequences extend far beyond schools. A society that trains people primarily to memorise may struggle to produce citizens capable of questioning, analysing and solving problems. This has direct implications for the quality of government and public institutions. Public institutions need professionals who can think independently, act ethically and understand that public office is a responsibility rather than a privilege. A weak education system cannot consistently produce a strong culture of public service.
The challenge, therefore, is not simply a shortage of schools or teachers; it is a crisis of educational purpose. The World Bank has estimated Pakistan’s learning poverty at 75 per cent, meaning that most children were unable to read and understand a simple age-appropriate text by the age of 10.
In the 21st century, literacy is not confined to the ability to read and write. Education must also develop digital literacy, creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Unfortunately, many children still lack opportunities to access and learn through modern educational technologies.
The answer begins with changing what happens inside the classroom. Teacher training should prioritise classroom psychology and practical pedagogy rather than simply syllabus completion. Examinations should test understanding rather than reward memorisation. Schools should connect learning with real-world problems through projects, experiments, debates and research. Students should be encouraged not only to ask what the answer is, but also why it is the answer and how that knowledge can be applied.
When students are afraid of making mistakes, obsessed with marks and disconnected from what they are learning, education loses its purpose.
Article (Opinion) Published in The Express Tribune on Sep 27, 2026.
