Everyone in Pakistan tends to place almost all responsibility for learners’ academic, social, and even moral development on the classroom teacher. At times, this responsibility is extended beyond the teacher’s own classroom, holding them accountable for outcomes over which they have little or no control. Universities, for instance, and their administrative structures are often quick to blame teachers for perceived shortcomings, repeatedly suggesting that teachers must invest more emotional, psychological, social, educational, and administrative effort into their teaching. Recently, following the tragic death of a student at a private university in Lahore, it was, thankfully, acknowledged that teachers, too, experience stress and pressure. They carry social, political, and financial burdens alongside the routine demands of maintaining their mental and physical health. This broader context calls for serious attention to teachers’ well-being, as only a supported and healthy teacher can meet the expectations imposed by institutions and society at large.
At the same time, nations across the world are undergoing another form of trauma triggered by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, which has inevitably entered the classroom. Teachers are now expected to cope with AI in every possible way, regardless of the fact that they have been formally trained in it or possess no prior knowledge or skills at all. In many instances, teachers are forced to confront the fear that their professional role is under threat and that many of the tasks they perform in the classroom can be executed more efficiently by AI tools, to which students already have open access. In this context, teachers are advised to shift from being the “sage on the stage” to the “guide on the side,” facilitating learning rather than enforcing rigid instruction. They are further expected to impart usable, employable, and market-oriented skills. The irony, however, is that a significant portion of the country lacks the infrastructure necessary to integrate artificial intelligence into classrooms. The digital divide remains stark: many institutions lack devices, reliable internet connectivity, and the technical ecosystem required to benefit from AI-based tools.
The irony is that a significant portion of the country lacks the infrastructure necessary to integrate artificial intelligence into classrooms.
Moreover, teachers themselves are rarely provided with practical training or structured guidance to transition from traditional pedagogies to digital or cyber-based teaching practices. Compounding this problem is an examination system, particularly at the secondary and higher secondary levels, that continues to reward rote memorisation rather than creativity, critical thinking, or innovation. Examination questions are often lifted directly from textbooks, discouraging teachers from designing meaningful classroom activities or adopting pedagogies aligned with 21st-century learning needs. As a result, the education system operates in conflicting directions: teachers’ limited training and resources on one side, the demands of advanced, technology-driven societies on another, and outdated examination frameworks on yet another. In such a fragmented system, learners emerge confused and ill-prepared for the real world. When they encounter the job market, they discover a severe mismatch between their degrees and the skills required. This misalignment explains why many degree holders struggle to adapt to data-driven environments, machine-based technologies, and AI-oriented workplaces, ultimately contributing to rising unemployment.
In addressing these challenges, several reforms are possible, but the central component across all parameters, institutions, administration, infrastructure, curricula, and assessment is the teacher. The teacher remains the most critical entity requiring immediate and sustained investment. Teachers must be empowered not only to meet institutional and societal expectations but also to equip themselves with contemporary educational possibilities. There is an urgent need to provide teachers with foundational training in artificial intelligence and digital literacy, enabling them to understand the realities their students face in a highly competitive employment landscape. Classrooms must be supported with adequate digital infrastructure, including laptops, smartphones, and, crucially, high-speed internet connectivity.
At the higher education level, teachers require advanced training so they can effectively design employable, viable, and practical learning strategies. Today’s students often have access to international university lectures, cutting-edge research, and global pedagogical innovations. Teaching such learners demands teachers who are not only technologically competent but also intellectually agile and pedagogically innovative. Ultimately, to teach, train, and develop skills for contemporary learners, teachers must be highly motivated, mentally and physically fit, and well-equipped with AI tools and digital competencies. Equally important is an institutional environment that actively supports teachers both inside and outside the classroom. This is more significant regarding the research activities of the teachers that the institutions must reward the faculty financially because of the academic performance. The best teacher’s award on the basis of nepotism must be discouraged. For this, such systems can be designed to accurately measure the performance by passing it through multiple checks and filters that only the true knowledge seekers may be rewarded rather than expediency. This will contribute to the performance of the teacher because the happier the teacher, the more successful will be the institution. Only then can schools, colleges, and universities play their transformative role in society and contribute meaningfully to national development.
The writer is a professor of English at Government Emerson University, Multan. He can be reached at zeadogar@ hotmail.com and Tweets @Profzee