The problems of education in Pakistan pose a serious challenge to our existence as a nation. Indeed what sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to soul. No doubt, the problems of education in Pakistan are many and varied. Literature on the subject is scanty. We in Pakistan, in spite of experiencing a plethora of problems in the domain of education possess little literature on the subject. This is not unexpected. It has become a fact of life with us that we are, to say the least lethargic and indifferent in dealing scientifically with our problems. We can ill afford the luxury of procrastination; and therefore we should no longer postpone an acceptable and realistic solution to the problems of education.

Education is one of the most important duties. If not the most important duty of a state because the functioning of a democracy presupposes and electorate composed of members who can understand the various aspects of the social government and who can balance and weigh the claim of competing the candidates and rival parties of their schemes. Democracy becomes futile and will in a surprisingly short time dig its grave if it does not give to priority to education.

Although it is desirable to spread higher education among the masses, we must have a real educational ladder and evolve methods of keeping all those outside the doors of the university or college, who do not possess the capacity to profit by higher education. At the same time, no deserving student should be denied the right of being educated merely because he or she cannot pay the price of education. In order to ensure that education should be within the easy reach of everyone and it should be universal, we to make radical and revolutionary changes in our present system of education so that it should be completely over hauled.

The educational system prevalent in our country is an historical anachronism. It is not a system at all; it is merely a patch work. It has to be scraped up and replaced by a comprehensive and closely integrated progressive programme of national education from the nursery school up to the university stage. The setup of schools, colleges and universities also calls for a complete reorientation. The defects inherent in the present organizational setup are responsible for the appealingly low standard of education. To be specific, the institutions are usually controlled by a committee. This committee is charged with the task of running the institutions. It meets the expenses arising out of the establishment of institutions such as monthly salary etc. The other body, usually boards or an examining university, conducts the examination. The syllabi are prescribed by an altogether different body. The head of the institutions who mans the whole show has no voice in such proceedings. Therefore, there is lack of co-ordination between the authorities concerned. This explain the poor standard of education. Accordingly the future educational system that maybe framed must provide a complete co-ordination between all the authorities that have anything to do with education. This will arrest the deterioration that has set in.

The over literacy bias of the present system of education is yet another defect. The students, after graduation, have to run from pillar to post, for the education that they have received does not help them to choose their independent profession. With a view to removing this lacunae, we should make our educational system vocational. This will remove to a large extent the problem of unemployment which is rather alarming. It is therefore essential that the educational system should be reviewed in consonance with the aspirations of the people and the socio economic structure of the country, and for its reorientation and reorganization, appropriate measures should be adopted which ensure an integrated and balanced development of education in various stages. These measures for the reorganization of the educational system should be in accordance with the following main objectives :

a). To develop among the people a sense of public duty, patriotism and national solidarity, and to inculcate among them the habits of industry, integrity and devotion to service.
b). To introduce modern methods of solution for determining intelligence and aptitude so as to effect the diversion of students at appropriate levels to technical, agricultural and vocational institutions in accordance with their ability and aptitude.
c). To examine the standards of teaching and research in educational institutions; and suggest necessary measures to raise them to the highest possible level.

To accomplish the task of suggesting ways and means by which education in Pakistan might be given a new orientation to meet the needs and expirations of her people, it is necessary to think beyond the four walls of our schools, universities and the educational institutions and to take into account the social order of which education forms a part, and the future of the society which, it should help to shape. The educational system of a nation should be consonant with the country's self-image and consistent with the hopes and aspirations the country cherishes. Indeed, it is the medium through which the national aspirations can be realized in a planned and rational way. It is axiomatic that the educational system of a country should meet the individual and collective needs and aspirations of its people. It must be so designed as to equip them with the capabilities of making their lives more productive according to their talent and interests. Moreover, it must ensure that gifted individuals have full opportunity to develop skills and provide scope for the promotions of leadership. At the same time, it must also provide for the development of the vocational abilities needed for the creation of a progressive democratic society. Besides, our educational system must play an important part in the preservation of the ideals which led to the creation of Pakistan and in strengthening its concept as a unified nation. The benefits and opportunities under a well regulated educational system must be available to all. In our present conditions, when the resources of the country are still under developed, it will naturally take some time before universal education be provided. A target of 10 to 15 years should be set for the achievement of this goal and all efforts should be directed towards it. In the meantime accent should be laid on the quality and public assistance in the form of scholarships and awards be made available to its talented students. In addition to the development of intellectual activities, emphasis should also be led the character building aspects of education. What should be kept in view are the basic concept of spiritual and moral values, of nation building qualities, of scientific development, of an enlightened citizenship and of the spirit of public service which should motivate and guide our educational system.