Have you ever noticed how much discussion is carried out in daily newspapers about technology-related matters or how often news is written about it? For example, communication satellite systems and the research associated with them, internet browsers that facilitate daily tasks or the effects of technology and related developments on society, education & climate change.

It would not be wrong to say that we now live in a world where life without technology is not just difficult but nearly impossible. People welcome new technological changes with the belief that the future will be better than the present and the past.

At the same time, many people do not understand how technology actually works. This is concerning. Consequences happen. People make decisions that are shaped by technology and also affect it, yet they do so without knowing the science behind it.

Every citizen should have basic knowledge of technology. You should understand the role of science, mathematics, statistics and engineering within it. You should also understand how technology affects socio-politico-economic life. It is equally important to understand how technology is created and how it evolves.

Across the world, science and related subjects, including mathematics and statistics, are treated as key educational priorities. In Pakistan, however, technology education does not receive the importance it deserves at the primary, middle and high school levels.

If you look closely, students are rarely taught how basic technological tools are designed or how they work. This gap has real consequences. It can lead to a poor understanding of machines and weak decision-making on public issues. Consider automation in sanitation systems and its impact on jobs. Or think about the use of solar panels in homes and industries, along with software that manages energy use. These are not distant ideas. They shape daily life.

People do not need deep technical knowledge of every system. What they need is a clear, fact-based understanding that helps them make sound decisions.

You can look at science in two ways. First is scientific knowledge. The other is the process of discovery. Science operates through these two approaches. We know that the Earth is round and that the Moon revolves around it. This is scientific knowledge. We know this through observation, experiments and testing of ideas. These steps form the process of discovery. This process of discovery also reveals new insights that we may not expect during the course of observation, experiment, testing of ideas and so forth.

Many science courses feel boring because they entirely focus only on delivering information. If you shift the focus to inquiry and discovery, learning becomes more engaging. Science is not just a collection of facts. It is a way of exploring and understanding the world. Science is a means of curiosity and arguments.

Technology education overlaps with science in many aspects, although their names are different. Technology is knowledge while the process of creating it is engineering. To understand technology properly, students need to learn both the process and the outcome. This helps them use mathematics, science, statistics and other skills to solve problems.

Students should also understand how engineers make decisions and what are the factors involved in the whole process. These include quality, cost, functionality, safety, sustainability, environmental impact and stakeholder needs. These factors shape every practical solution.

In Pakistan, the discussion on technology education often stays limited to the use of computers in schools. It is a fact that computers and the internet are important educational tools. However, it is an incorrect approach to limit technology education only to computers and the internet. Technology has changed how we live, work and think. Children should feel as comfortable using a mouse and keyboard as they do using a pencil and paper. Yet this is only one small part of a much bigger goal.

Pakistan has capable teachers in science, mathematics, statistics and related fields. The real need is to use this strength effectively, especially at the school level.

The government should not treat technology as a separate subject. It should integrate technological concepts into existing subjects, just as they appear in real life. People use technology in all walks of life like travel, communication, healthcare, entertainment, food systems and work. A society where people remain unaware of this reality cannot move forward with confidence.

The need is simple and clear. Build basic technological understanding early and connect it with real life. This is not an option anymore. It is a requirement for progress, development and prosperity. The policymakers should seriously consider it.