Singer and education activist Shehzad Roy marked World Education Day with a message for Pakistani parents. He said education should not become a burden for children.
Roy released a new song, Late Ho Gaye, on Saturday. He appeared in the video with students from schools run by his charity, the Zindagi Trust.
The music video opens with Roy speaking to expectant parents. He asks how far along the mother is. He then asks if they have enrolled their unborn child in school.
When someone questions how that is possible, Roy responds on screen. He says, “Late ho gaye!” (you’re late).
The song criticises the pressure children face throughout school life. It points to early registration deadlines in elite schools. It shows how parents take two-year-olds for admissions interviews.
A schoolgirl pleads in the video. She says, “Mujh ko zara, pehlay honay to do. Dil khol ke, thora ronay to do.” She adds, “At least let me be born first. Let me cry my heart out first.”
The track then highlights language-related stress. It shows children trying to manage English schooling while speaking other languages at home. Several children say, “Teacher ne English mein daanta, ammi ka Urdu mein chaanta, abbu Punjabi bolay saada.” They translate it as, “My teacher scolded me in English, my mother slapped me in Urdu and my dad speaks in Punjabi.”
The song also targets tuition culture. Children dressed in work clothes describe the routine. They say, “Jaise school se aao, tuition. Bhaari basta phir uthaao, tuition.” They add, “Saans to lenay do, paani to peenay do, khana to khanay do, nahi! Tuition!” The lines translate to, “As soon as you get home from school, tuition.” They say, “With your heavy backpack, tuition.” They ask to breathe, drink water, and eat, but say the answer is still tuition.
The track also criticises parents for relying on screens. It says children need real attention instead. It also highlights the lack of time children get to be themselves.
Roy ends the video with a message for World Education Day. He urges people not to burden children in the name of education. He also calls for educating them well.
Several celebrities shared the video and called it relatable. Maryam Nafees posted it on her Instagram story. She compared Pakistan’s education system with others. She said parents elsewhere send children to school when they feel emotionally ready. Maryam said the ideal age is three, four, or five. She added, “We know how it works in some cities in our country.”
Actor Rushna Khan also shared the song. She said, “Childhood isn’t a race.”
Saboor Ali, a new mother, spoke about her own experience. She said her daughter Serena is still very little. Saboor said they had already entered the admissions race. She said the pressure feels unfair for parents and children.
Sarwat Gilani also posted Roy’s reel. She wrote about school admissions pressure and unrealistic expectations. She said it showed the conversation was shifting. The actress said the need for change could no longer be ignored.
Gilani said education has become a race and a comparison. She said it creates constant anxiety for children and parents. Sarwat called Roy’s voice important. She said reform begins with awareness. She added that awareness begins with speaking up. The actress added that she hopes for an education system that supports curiosity, creativity, and emotional well-being, not just grades and admissions.
Many celebrities praised Roy in the comments. Mawra Hocane said he was “correcting the country’s system, one video at a time.” She said she hoped people would find the courage to leave the rat race.
Makeup artist Natasha Ali Lakhani called the video a powerful reflection. She said it showed pressure that harms children’s well-being. She said it also affects parents’ mental health and their relationship with education.
Content creator Waliya Najeeb questioned the push to send babies to school. She said people asked her why her two-year-old was not in school. She said she found the question odd.
Roy has previously worked to improve education standards in Pakistan. He oversees schools that follow a holistic approach. His schools offer chess and music lessons. They also aim to give children more than classroom learning.