Why Our Students Struggle: The Gap Between Theory and Reality

By Hira Saqib

In Pakistan, we celebrate education as a path to success but there is a big problem: our schools and colleges focus too much on memorizing facts and not enough on learning by doing. Students spend years studying textbooks, passing exams, and scoring high marks, yet when they step into the real world, many feel unprepared and unsure.
Our education system rarely encourages hands-on experience. Labs, workshops, internships, or real-life projects are limited, often poorly organized, or treated as a formality. This means students graduate with certificates but without the practical skills, confidence, or problem-solving ability that workplaces and businesses actually need.
The impact is clear. Employers often find fresh graduates lacking essential skills. Innovation, entrepreneurship, and scientific research, areas where practical learning is key, remain weak. Students miss the chance to explore, experiment, and make mistakes safely, which is how real learning happens.
Countries that succeed in education balance theory with practice. Students there are exposed to real projects, work experience, and creative problem-solving from early on. Pakistan can do the same, but it will take investment, teacher training, and a willingness to change traditional methods.
Education should not just be about memorizing chapters; it should prepare students to think, do, and succeed in life. Bridging this gap between theory and practice is not just an option, it is a necessity if we want our youth to thrive in the real world.