Literacy, Out of School Children and the Education Mantra

 

Literacy, Out of School Children and

the Education Mantra 

Two fundamental questions arise: who is considered literate, and what is the relationship between education and knowledge? If education doesn't foster knowledge production, it's merely a degree. Given the inadequacies of our school system, what's the point of increasing enrollment?

Beyond redefining literacy, we need to reassess the data on out-of-school children in Pakistan. Do we have comprehensive, Union Council-level data, or are we relying solely on the aggregate number of 25 million? Without comprehensive data on private education, how can we accurately measure the number of out-of-school children?

What's the connection between mother tongue and early education? Interestingly, the 1961 census revealed that 66.3% of people in West Pakistan (now Pakistan) spoke Punjabi, yet this language was barred from schools during colonial rule. Post-1972, Pakistan followed India's lead, fragmenting Punjabi into distinct languages by recognizing its dialects.(In India Dogree, Phari and Haryanvi and in Pakistan Seraiki, Hindko) Consequently, over the past 50 years, the percentage of Punjabi speakers has dropped from 66.3% to 48% nationwide in Pakistan. Despite remaining Pakistan's largest language, Punjabi is neither adopted as the medium of instruction nor offered as an elective subject. We tried to discuss many issues with Sajida Vandal, Faisal Bari and Farooq Bajwa. 

A video clip of the  program recorded by Sued Kashif Bukhari at Layalpur Mela Click & watch it

سنو لوک لہر پروگرام، ان پڑھتا، لٹریسی، آوٹ آف سکول بچے مادری زباناں، ہنری تعلیم اتے علم توں دور گواچے تعلیمی بندوبست بارے گل بات۔۔۔۔ایس وچ دسویں تاریخی لیل پور پنجابی لٹریری میلے وچ کیتی گل بات جس وچ فیصل باری، ساجدہ ونڈل اتے فاروق باجوہ رلتی سن

Listen the radio show aired at MastFM103 ٖFriday 21 March 2025..The mela was held at 16 and 17 Feb 2025. Click and Listen the Program

Further links

Iqbal Response to Skill base Education & Education for Muslims

Curriculum of Hate or Peace: Some pages from textbooks

Let us talk about Kids, schooling & healthy environment

 

Educational Psychologist Asma Naheed thoughts

Punjabi Radio program Lok Lhar 6 September 2024

MastF103, Lhore

Guest  Dr Asma Naheed Educational Psychologist 

"Education has been a perennial challenge in Pakistan since its inception, and even after 77 years, the country's education systems - including private, public, and religious institutions - continue to face numerous shortcomings. Despite these hurdles, dedicated individuals are striving to elevate the standards of schools and students. That is the story of Asma Naheed. For this program credit goes to Sabiha Shaheen of Bargad 

Asama Naheed is founder of Hope and Light ...their mission is 

transform women's and children's lives in Pakistan.

A video clip of the program 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7wqMEhclfw

Another clip, Asma is sharing her thoughts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzhTscjcF8Q

   

Listen the Lok Lhar Program with Asma Naheed Click Here

Further readings

Pub+Private Love hate affair: Who will run and monitor Public Schools?

Curriculum of Hate or Peace: Some pages from textbooks

Let Us discuss the pinching issue of Child marriage in Pakistan (Listen discussion)

 

Why Skill based general education is essential in Pakistan? Rethinking

ہنر نال جڑی تعلیم پاروں ہی پاکستان وچ جنرل ایجوکیشن مارکیٹ تے معاشرے لئی فیدے دے سکدی ہے اتے سکولاں وچ بچے جاون دی گنتری وی وادھو ہو سکدی جے۔

A Punjabi radio program LOK LHAR recorded at MastFM103, Lhore December 11, 2023

Participants : Samya Pervaiz, Moghiz Khan & Moasa Shahbaz 

Since colonial times, our general education was based on learning writing skills only because colonial administration need claraks, know as Babu, for office work. Other than writing skills, all knowledge production was theoretical largely, it had no link with market as well as society. Till 1947, we had very less schools as well as students , majority of schools, colleges were in the Punjab only but even in the Punjab school were not in big number. After 1947 school ratio increased but after nationalization public education increased a lot. Post Zia period witnessed huge expansion in private education but it was without regulation. Today more than 50 million students are in schools, collages and universities but school education failed to delink it from colonial legacy. A matriculated student is of no use of market or the society. let us listen the discussion 

A video clip of the program

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCeFAO7Sg40

Mosa sharing his experience 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/HlxxC9dIoO8

Listen the program  recorded at MastFM103, Lhore Dec 11, 2023

https://voca.ro/17bylU2ejaVn

Further links regarding Skill base education

2013...Those who have read the 1946 report of "post war plan " or voluminous report of 2nd Education conference of 1951, can easily understand the importance of Skill education. Some times people treat it as an separate entity but it is essential to link it with general education

Iqbal Response to Skill base Education & Education for Muslims

2015....Curriculum of Hate or Peace

Linking Education with Job Market via skill education

2018.... Our Flawed Education Systems & misleading narratives: What to do?

 

Single National Curriculum, national integration & the centralist mindset 

From 2006 the State, Governments, policy makers & educationists are trying to introduce reforms in education, the process did some achievements till 2018 yet the recent effort under Single National Curriculum has bulldozed it smartly. Analysis of Textbooks published under the SNC mantra shows a gradual decrease in education standards. Other than education standards, the political side of SNC is more dangerous because it affected the federation from within. 

Watch the debate recorded at Such TV

https://www.suchtv.pk/program/aiwan-e-such/item/111690-aiwan-e-such-25-february-2022.html

Outcome of the Mantara of Single National Curriculum or Compromise? (Textbook Reviews 2021)

 

Outcome of the Mantara of Single National Curriculum or Compromise?  (Textbook Reviews 2021)

If Social cum political biases are part of textbooks than please donot blame students, public, teachers or parents. Responsibility lies on governments, relevant institutions & media at large.

Gender biases, religious/sectarian biases, wrong facts, twisted history, misleading narratives all are there in these books prepared by Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training & published by KPK & the Punjab textbook boards. 

Misleading Student learning outcomes and tricky Model textbooks help textbook boards to produce such stuff. One should check who is who in so-called National Review committee. It is failure of Ministry of federal education & professional training in particular. 

Will add more things soon

Example 1, Social Studies class 5, Pages 48 to 53

Sub heading of the lesson at page 48 is Role of Provinces in creation of Pakistan. It included all 4 provinces but it also have Gilgit Baltistan & Azad Kashmir without mentioning that these two are not provinces. You can check Azad Kashmir heading at Page 52 in pictures given below. Interestingly textbook author forget about his heading and in the exercise she/he added areas along with provinces at Page 53. There is a long list of people who check the book including pardhans of National curriculum Council, Punjab Curriculum & Textbook Board & National Review Committee  (the credit page photo is given below) but no one could check it. Either it is intentional to develop some preparedness for inclusion of two new provinces i-e end of Kashmir issue as said by opposition or a mistake, it is now up to you to decide. 

Example 1, Social Studies, G 5, 

Title

Credit Page

Page 48

Page 52 

Page 53 Exercise 

Gender Bias Class 1, Page 3

Playing with history, hiding naked facts , Social Studies Class 4, Page 62

Fatima Jinnah fought Presidential election and had challenged Gen Ayub Khan. She was consensus candidate of opposition but this important fact was not included in the lesson. That is how our pardhans protected dictators even after 47 years of his death. It also shows how our textbook authors were instructed to use selective history even in praise. Lesson about Fatima Jinnah is not the sole example. When I did textbook analysis first time in 20009 , i found same misleading treatment with Allahbad address 1930 and Lhore Resolution 1940. 

Coined two new languages Potohari & Phari in the Punjab & Kashmir , separating them from Punjabi

Social Studies Class 5, Page 13

Wrong Fact, as there was no casting vote in 23rd June Punjab assembly session where S P Singha was Speaker yet there are incidents of support of Christian and Scheduled Cast members in Pakistan Movement but textbook author give a wrong fact. 

Misleading history, exclusion of Bengalis & Bengal from creation of Pakistan and Pakistan movement 

Will Uniform Curriculum Solve the riddles of Pakistani Education: Watch the debate

 

Will Uniform Curriculum Solve the riddles of Pakistani Education

Watch the debate 

Uniform Education is a populist yet misleading narrative. If you have a class base society, class base State structure than how can you run classless education?

In Pakistan, thanks to colonial legacy, we have an education system that has minor  link with knowledge but all emphasis is on career or jobs. 

In our National Narrative there is less room for diversity and over emphasis on segregation and that reflects in education too.

There are 4 types of education institutions in Pakistan. 

1. Public Schools, Colleges &  Universities

2. Madrassas

3. Low Fee Private Schools

4. Elite Schools 

Watch the program and respond too 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPBGEPT7JyI&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR0xsn9_1P3akUE1wf4aUOJWytzLkF9gjo4KBcHFvWZHBx7UDtFg-rjJF1Q

 

 

 

 

Hate Speech, Uniform Curriculum & riddles in Education ( Radio Discussion) MastFM103, LOK LHAR

Hate Speech, Uniform Curriculum & riddles in Education ( Radio Discussion)

  MastFM103, LOK LHAR

What is Hate Speech? Why it is important to address it in our policies? What do you mean by uniformity? is there any difference between uniformity & equality? Can we achieve equality without uniformity? What is Tahfaz e Islam bill and what is the politics behind it? 

With the help of Faces Pakistan we have invited Zeba Tahir Hashmi. Zeeba T. Hashmi is an opinion writer and peace educator based in Lahore. She has former experience of working as Advisor to Pakistan Mission to United Nations, New York. Further, she has covered education and political issues related to religious minorities and have presented papers, case-studies and fact-finding mission reports on social persecution of the marginalized for different organizations. As a peace educator, she has also developed a peace education training manual for the teachers with an aim to address the issue of hate and controversial content found in textbooks and to promote interreligious friendships between different faith groups. She also works for promotion of health education and develops communication strategies and research to understand barriers to basic social services and facilities. She has also worked with slum communities for improving their access to basic social services and highlighted on opportunities that can be created from social enterprising initiatives. Recently, she has co-founded Peace Dialogue Series where she is using the platform for effective peace communications for various marginalized groups.

A video clip of the show

We are reducing spaces of public debate in #Pakistan and like Zia era, this time too #usa is with those who are reducing public debates. in US they will not allow it but in #India and Pakistan like countries they support tyrant regimes

https://www.facebook.com/aamirr/videos/10157886338704032/?t=1

Another clip of the show

Managing education through the eyes of interior cum security point of view rather then acknowledge is the legacy we are still following and it is the core issue.

https://www.facebook.com/aamirr/videos/10157884143954032/?t=0

Listen the complete program 

https://voca.ro/kqF9deYlN0f