THE state of the education system in Pakistan is seriously worrying, especially in the early years of schooling. It is unfortunate that many schools have turned education into a business. Nowadays, children are forced to go through multiple unnecessary pre-schoolstages, such as pre-Montessori, pre-prep Montessori, followed by junior and senior grades. These stages add up to nearly four years before grade 1. This is simply a waste of time.Instead of helping children learn and grow through fun and play, these years only serve as a way for schools to mint more money from the parents. It is another thing that the parents, misled by consistent propaganda, themselves want to send their children to school as early as they possibly can.

Another major issue is the strict age limits set by most schools. They refuse to admit children older than three years. This is blatantly unfair. Every child has a different pace of growth and learning, and such rigid rules create unnecessary stress for parents and children alike. Besides, children as young as two to three years are tested by teachers, and, more critically, rejected on the basis oftheir general knowledge, social and fine motor skills.

The government as well as its relevant departments must take notice of the issues, and introduce reforms to ensure that schools continue to focus on real learningratherthanunnecessary stages that waste children`s precious early years.

Wasif`Khalig Dad Rawalpindi