Education Sector

Overview

It is widely acknowledged that Pakistan’s education systems are in a state of crisis. Various efforts have not produced results, and the nation is at a crossroads.  It is time to not only address our immediate needs, but also plan for education’s future. What does the changing world mean for education? How do we ensure provision of education to ALL our citizens? In an age where Information is already accessible at everyone’s fingertips, it is likely that we will have access to a level of content that we cannot conceive. We will all have to learn to differentiate between information and knowledge. Measuring the outcomes of education through assessment systems will also, of necessity require rethinking.

New  Education Systems are being tasked with producing the six “C”s

Critical / Analytical Thinkers: As more and more information becomes available at the click of a button, the ability to analyse, connect unrelated areas, and apply technical information to complex problems will become increasingly important.

Creative Thinkers: In the cut paste world, originality and creativity will become increasingly rare. It will be important for education systems to nurture creativity, originality and the creation of new knowledge.

Collaborators: Complex problems will require multidisciplinary, cross sectorial thinking and collaborative working approaches. Teaching and learning styles need to change to embed this into the education system as early as possible.

Continual Learners: The requirements of increasingly practical, technical skills when entering the job market, increased demand for work/life balance by millennials, a rapidly aging workforce without those skills and longer life spans will all mean that learning will need to be a lifelong process.

Citizens of the World: An increasingly complex world will require global citizens who will be able to understand the “big picture” and establish the foundations for new governance structures as borders collapse and physical resources become increasingly scarce.

Compassion /Tolerance/Peace  Keepers: The current violence in the world more than ever reflects the absolute need for compassion and peace to be embedded into all education systems.

Technology provides a unique opportunity for Pakistan to leapfrog its education system into the future. It can provide outreach to millions for problems such as literacy and numeracy, as well as  provide an opportunity across all the systems to improve the QUALITY of learning.