PAKISTANI students and young professionals lack essential work ethics, team-building skills, sense of purpose and analytical thinking.

This issue surely requires us to answer one of the pertinent questions before blaming the students and young professionals: are these students ever trained to face international challenges?

Since the inception of ‘Naya Pakistan’ last year, people have been waiting for a miracle in their lives. However, largely nothing has materialised. Education sector is no exception.

In order for us to compete globally, we need to have elementary and higher education competing with the international standards.

Since the ‘container’ era of 2014, the prime minister has been saying that nation building can’t be done merely by constructing infrastructure – a reference to construction activity by the previous government. Now when he is in office, he should give particular attention to education — the core element of nation building.

It is heartbreaking to know that the curriculum in Pakistan is at least four decades behind the international curriculum.

If anybody wants to test this, all he has to do is watch any TV talk show and he will find hard to digest language and manners displayed by the participants.

Parliamentary sessions don’t fail to surprise us. Not to forget the ever-increasing complaints by the politicians that they don’t have people competent enough to do the job.

Prime Minister Imran Khan always talks about having big dreams and achieving them. If he starts by upgrading the curriculum of schools and universities, he can help many achieve their dreams and live with dignity.

Muhammad Ali Falak
Texas, USA

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2020