"Too often we give our children answers to remember rather than problems to solve." - Roger Lewin

The definition of educating in most of the Pakistani schools and colleges has been narrowed down to simply as "learning what is written in the book". Education being provided here is meant to aid students to pass their matriculation or some external examinations, and then pursue some fixed profession (engineers and doctors being the most common). Our education system is flawed, and this is one of the biggest reasons that we haven’t seen our nation advance and compete with other developed and developing nations.

The curriculum being taught in several local schools is, unfortunately, business-oriented. Most of the teachers only do their jobs for their monthly paycheques. Gone are the days when the teachers were revered as the spiritual parents for the grooming of a student. Today, there is no regard for the special needs of a child; it is preferred that teachers "stick to the syllabus".

Grades and better grades. Today it is considered as a remarkable feat if one achieves, say, a dozen A stars in exams. Yes, you’ll receive numerous pats on the back, and rightly so. But what is the ultimate purpose for accomplishing such an impeccable result? In our system the comparison of two or more students is merely done by putting their result cards on the table. If you have achieved A stars, great, you have completed your education. But we ignore other such factors that are also integral for the education of a student -- factors that include what he does outside the class, his participation in sports or any role he has played in community service.

A student should involve himself in activities that are beneficial to the society as a whole. That way not only will the student hone the traits required for his transition to adulthood, but also have positive influence on youngsters. With proper education, our upcoming generations will proudly identify themselves as Pakistanis and work to the best of their abilities for the progress of our country.

Every person is gifted with a specific talent. However, many of the parents here don’t realise this. If one day a son of a doctor announces he has found his passion in artistry, rest assured, he won’t be an artist. He will be a doctor. No ‘ifs’ or ‘buts’. This tradition has been going on for years, being passed down from father to son. It has let many genius minds go astray into a field they were pressurised to choose. A person can only spread his wings and progress if he is given free will.

We will only become an unsurpassed nation if we teach our children fittingly, because they are the leaders of the future. With proper mentoring, not only will we feel honoured to be a citizen of this country but also gain positive recognition abroad.