By Dr Wajid Khattak
A few years ago, education was considered incomplete without training and character building. A teacher was not merely responsible for completing the syllabus; he was also expected to guide students, shape their character and prepare them for responsible citizenship. Today, however, we seem to be trapped in an endless race for percentages, grades and positions.
Academic achievement is important, but when percentage becomes the sole measure of success, we risk overlooking the very purpose of education. We celebrate a student’s 90 or 95 percent, but rarely ask: Has the student become more responsible, respectful, disciplined and compassionate?
The consequences are visible in our society. Students spend increasingly long hours with books, tuition and academies, while playgrounds that were once crowded are becoming deserted. Physical activity, creativity and social interaction are being sacrificed at the altar of academic competition.
Parents are also investing heavily in their children’s education. They can arrange expensive schools, universities and academies, but many struggle to give their children something far more valuable: their time.
From my professional experience, I have observed that many children today are surrounded by parents yet emotionally distant from them. They may have every material facility, but meaningful conversation, guidance and companionship are becoming scarce.
In this vacuum, social media has become an increasingly powerful influence. It would, however, be simplistic to blame social media alone. When family interaction decreases and children do not receive sufficient attention at home or mentorship at school, the virtual world naturally becomes more attractive.
We therefore need to reconsider what we mean by educational success. Are we preparing students merely to pass examinations, or are we preparing them to face the examination of life?
Society needs more than high-scoring students. It needs responsible citizens, ethical professionals, compassionate human beings and young people capable of making a positive contribution to society.
We do not need to reject percentages; we need to put them in their proper place. A result card can measure academic performance, but it cannot measure character.
Perhaps the real question is not, “How high is the percentage?” but:
“Are our students’ values and character rising at the same pace as their percentages?”