MILLIONS of students graduate from different universities each year in the country. Yet, according to traditional teachers and pseudo-pedagogy, these students lack the moral and ethical ways of applying their knowledge in the practical domain. There is a clear difference between being educated and merely ‘literate’. This divide is especially visible in rural areas where people proudly call themselves educated, but there remains a deep dearth of critical education and analytical ability.

Facts paint a gloomy picture. In Sindh, for instance, 40 per cent of class V students in rural areas could not read a class II text, and over one-third could not handle basic arithmetic. These foundational gaps travel upwards into higher education, where degrees are often obtained without any mastery of core skills, turning education into a credential rather than a competence.

To address this crisis, Sindh must move beyond traditional learning and outdated teaching methodologies. Strengthening teacher training, improving school infrastructure, ensuring merit-based recruitment, and connecting universities with industry can help bridge the divide between literacy and education.

Unless ethical reasoning, critical thinking, and practical skills become central to our learning system, the nation will keep producing degree-holders rather than truly educated and learned citizens.

Sadam Hussain Korai
Larkana

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2025