Peer-reviewed article
The status of early childhood education in Pakistan: Inside stories
Mohammad Afzal Khan ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This article examines early childhood education in Pakistan and finds that teaching systems are primarily didactic, focusing on rule-following rather than children's holistic development. Key domains such as social, emotional, ethical, cultural, intellectual and physical well-being are not adequately addressed. Teachers are positioned as dominant knowledge sources while children are treated as passive receivers rather than active, capable learners. The article contrasts this approach with research-based methods used in developed countries that promote children's full potential and view learners more positively.
Key points
- Pakistani early childhood education systems use a didactic approach that does not teach the child as a whole
- Holistic development domains including social, ethical, cultural, intellectual, emotional and physical well-being are not fully covered
- Children are taught to follow rules without question in an autocratic learning environment
- Teachers occupy dominant roles as imparters of knowledge with children positioned as dependent receivers
- Contemporary research-based approaches in developed countries give children a more central role in learning
Limitations
The document is a descriptive analysis and literature review that does not provide empirical data on the scale of the problem or quantify how many children are affected by these practices. It does not evaluate specific interventions or present evidence from primary research conducted in Pakistan.
Abstract
This article analyses the status of early childhood education in Pakistan. The education systems in place in Pakistan are mainly framed within a didactic approach to teaching and learning, which addresses certain areas of education but does not teach the child as a whole. Domains of children’s holistic development such as social, ethical, cultural, intellectual, emotional and physical well-being, and some other key academic skills, are not fully covered. In this kind of education, students are taught to follow rules without question and do as instructed, which corresponds to an autocratic view of learning. In the context of early childhood education in Pakistan, teachers occupy dominant roles, which positions them as the imparters and sources of knowledge and children as dependent and the receivers of knowledge, rather than considering them as potential, curious and powerful learners with unlimited capabilities. The literature indicates that this approach to teaching and learning does not privilege the holistic development and well-being of children. In contrast, many developed countries use research-based contemporary approaches to children’s education and development, giving children a more central role in their learning to ensure that every child has the opportunity to develop to their full potential. This kind of approach reminds teachers to view all children not as needy or deficient individuals.