A Good Move: We have to think What we are Teaching our Children

A Good Move: 

We have to think 

What we are Teaching our Children

It is a good move in which PM advice HEC to prepare these recommendations by consulting provinces because after 18th amendment now provinces are responsible for education. There are numerous Articles in the constitution which allows federal government to advice/recommend provinces regarding devolved subjects.

There is a perception that only public school textbooks are bad and have prejudice material but in reality books being used in private educational institutions have political as well as social biases. Textbooks being taught in Pakistani schools (both public & private)have praises for military dictators, prejudices against elected politicians and have biases like urban bias, sectarian bias, religious bias and gender bias in general.  The other important thing in this regard is question of medium of instruction. In a recent workshop organized by UNDP in Islamabad regarding fulfillment of MDGs Punjab Text Book Board Chairman admitted their fault to introduce English as medium of instruction from class 1 and published textbooks in English language. Now PTB has changed its polcy which was introduced by General javed qazi during Pervaiz Musharaf times. But in the same meeting KPK representative remained adamant that the decision of new KPK government to introduce English as medium of instruction from class 1 and publish textbooks in English language remains unchanged. KPK representative also enrich audience that they are still confuse about using mother tongue as medium of instruction. The issue is little complex and needs attention from policy makers.  One has to think not only about status of English, Urdu but also role of Pakistani mother tongues.  For this government should announce a Language commission at federal level which should assist parliament on this important issue.

Revision of curricula is not a simple issue and in the presence of two opposite positions it is even hard to address it.  Our friends often criticize curricula without understanding ground realities. On the other hand there are some self-righteous commanders who want to fix curricula without realizing age of the kid and the diversity of Pakistani society.  BBC story in this regard is an example of bad tatse which is making the issue more complex. In this situation it is difficult but not imposible to bridge the gap. 

Jang News

http://e.jang.com.pk/10-31-2014/lahore/pic.asp?picname=1124.gif

Express Tribune

Agenda setting: PM orders curriculum overhaul for schools

http://tribune.com.pk/story/783853/agenda-setting-pm-orders-curriculum-overhaul-for-schools/

BBC 

تعلیمی نصاب میں دو ماہ میں ترامیم کی جائیں: وزیراعظم

http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/2014/10/141030_pm_hec_syllabus_amendment?ocid=socialflow_facebook

Dunya News

http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2014-10-31&edition=LHR&id=1364667_92456814