STUNNED by the system of BA examinations in our country, I would like to draw the attention of educational authorities towards improving the syllabus and course of bachelor examinations.

I passed A level examinations recently, and appeared in BA examinations from a known government university. What perturbed me most was the difference between educational standards in our country and other countries.

I was forced to think that choosing an international system of education for their daughter by my parents was certainly a right choice made by them. Appearing at examinations by mugging up answers to the last five years papers is what I learnt in the last few months. With the lack of creativity quite evident in the entire course, students seem to be lost in struggling with a battle called ‘who crams the best and the most!’

Unaware of the basics of grammar, students tend to learn word for word stories from the ‘guides’ of English. Hardly any of them would buy the original textbook and read it even once. The paper setting does not even require this type of intense study by students.

Instead of making the courses more difficult to cram in quest for improved educational standards, creativity should be introduced in the syllabus right from the beginning in all government schools. Improved educational standards would bring a drastic change in our country.

Seemal Rana Masoom
Lahore

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2016