CAN WE CHANGE CURRICULUM? ORDERS OF PM & HEC

CAN WE CHANGE CURRICULUM? ORDERS OF PM & HEC

PM ordered HEC to change curriculum in two months after consulting with provinces . The issue of curriculum changes is very complex rather "political" and in numerous occasions we have to chose either Ideology or pedagogy. In this fight we often sided with ideology and hence pedagogy often compromised. It is history of curriculum reforms in South Asia in general and Pakistan in particular. 

In recent past as a State it was General Musharaf who had informed the world and people of Pakistan in post 9/11 perspective that Pakistan would not support extremism any more. But till 2006 GOP neither initiated any process to change infected curriculum nor ready to replace biases (religious, sectarian, ethnic, Urban, Gender etc) from textbooks. Due to such double play General was rightly criticized not only in the country but also at abroad. From 2006 till 2009 we got three things regarding curriculum changes. 

1. In 2006 Government formed a mid-term review commission of last education policy 1998-2010 but neither parliament nor major popular political parties were allowed to be part of it. So the baby had no mother/father . That process helped new government to develop its own education policy and in 2009 PPP government announced it. 

1. A textbook policy was introduced in 2006 through an ordinance by Musharaf which allowed private publishers to prepare textbooks too. From that day till today, no effort was made to check the capacity and ability of Pakistani private publishers. In a situation where private publishers have no proper editors, no proof readers, no curriculum experts how can you expect quality publications? 

1. In 2006 government had also published documents for new curriculum (SLOs) but failed to implement it and till 2008 few textbooks were published under it. Although that document had many short comings and had particular bias against elected tier  but after 18th amendment it had lost its authority too.

So after 18th amendment provinces got full control of education. It means that instead of promoting decentralized & participatory approach in Education GOP just shifted the "Full Control" to provinces. Provinces in last 4 years followed Central curriculum wing and they neither discuss education in assemblies nor invite education experts, NGOs working on education, teachers and students. Than central government has formed a Minister of state for Education under the name of Ministry of Professional and Technical Training in July 2011. Till to-date there is a confusion about roles and responsibilities of fedral, provincial and district governments. In the Punjab we have District education authorities to handle district level issues of education. If GOP want to re-centralize curriculum and standards then it must have participatory spirit in it.  All the more reasons, federal, provincial and district tiers have clear rights and responsibilities. No one has sole prerogative in education policy at all. The other most critical area is question of medium of instruction and it is high time to set up National commision for languges which will determine role of english and urdu but also adress issues of pakistani mother tongues. The commision not only resolve issues of Pakistani languages and dialects but also recommend their use as medium of instruction at primary level. It will help GOP to fulfill its commitment regarding MDGs. Can HEC develop a comprehensive report in 2 months? I read almost all important documents regarding education policies publish by GOP from 1947 till 2009 and in these documents we have to confront with contradictory policies in general. In order to avoid these contradictions HEC should develop a chart of things which must not be part of curriculum and textbooks. This chart will help to develop a minimum consensus in education. Without a minimum consensus we cannot move forward in education. 
you just read the article so that you can knew what is the power politics of education. 

http://www.dawnnews.tv/news/1012017/11nov2014-nisaab-mein-tabdeelian-aur-hec-aamir-riaz-bm-aq

نصاب میں تبدیلیاں کرنا اک کٹھن اور مسلسل عمل ہے مگر ہمارے ہاں اس مسئلے کو فن تعلیم  کے بجائے نظریاتی و سیاسی مصلحتوں سے جوڑ کر دیکھنے کی غلط روایت موجود ہے۔ اس کا سب سے بڑا نقصان یہی ہوتا ہے کہ آخرکار فن تعلیم کے مسئلے پر ہی سمجھوتہ کرنا پڑ جاتا ہے۔ اس کی ایک بڑی وجہ یہ ہے کہ نصاب تعلیم کے مسئلے پر اساتذہ، طلبا اور تعلیم پر کام کرنے والی غیرسرکاری تنظیموں کو ”تبدیلی نصاب“ کے عمل میں شامل ہی نہیں کیا جاتا۔ یہ وہی لوگ ہیں جن کے لیے فن تعلیم کا مسئلہ بنیادی اہمیت کا حامل ہوتا ہے۔