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Decision to change academic calendar sparks controversy
Karachi, Jan 31, 2008: In an unexpected development, the Sindh Education Department
recently announced that the provincial school academic year is to be altered so
that it starts in April instead of August, despite the fact that the
August-start schedule was decided upon last year after much
deliberation.
A Jan 12 meeting of the department's steering committee,
which was attended by stakeholders from all over the province, announced that
schools had reached a consensus on the proposed April to March academic
calendar.
A week later, however, this newspaper received and published a
charged letter written by the owner of a private school who challenged the
announcement for having been based on an "imaginary consensus" and said that in
fact, many schools opposed the change to the academic calendar. This was
followed by some other, similar letters, one of which stated that dissenting
voices at the steering committee's meeting had been drowned out by "an
overwhelming majority" that banged on desks and shouted.
The real motives
behind the sudden change in the academic schedule, and that too during a
caretaker government, may remain available to only a select few. The Sindh
Education Department, however, cites the miseries of summer faced by school
children across the province as the reason behind the decision. In favour of the
April start is the fact that early examinations, held before the onset of the
March heat-wave, would save children from having to sweat through the final
examinations, particularly in view of a likely future of heavy
load-shedding.
"I showed a survey of schools, mostly in interior Sindh,
that want the academic calendar to start in April," said Khalid Shah, a private
school owner who also heads the All Private Schools Association of institutions
that charge a monthly fee of less than Rs1,500.
Though feeling for the
plight of hapless school children, the provincial education department is also
attempting to establish strictly-implemented ground rules that must be followed
by private schools. "We want to streamline the process of education all over the
province, implement the laws and make sure they are observed," said Mansub
Siddiqui, Director Private Schools. "Although April has been the start of the
academic calendar for years, many private schools flout the law by starting
their school year in August."
It is true that for many years, schools in
the province began their academic year in April. After much deliberation,
however, it was decided last year that the academic year would henceforth start
from August.
Teaching days reduced
The proponents of the
August to May calendar cannot understand why last year's decision has been
overturned so suddenly merely because of high temperatures. They point out that
it took many consultative meetings with education officials and a former
minister to have the authorities recognise the wisdom of an August
start.
Their view is that the August to May academic calendar is more
realistic and is recognised all almost over the world. It has comparatively more
teaching days (the Ministry of Education requires a maximum count of 180
teaching days on an academic calendar) while children begin the new session
after a refreshing summer break from textbook learning. The summer vacations
should be free of homework and compulsion of any kind, they maintain, and
children should return to school prepared for the roughly 10-month session
ahead.
The proponents of the August to May schedule further point out
that in this schedule, teachers and school committees get ample time to mark
copies and develop plans for the next year. Meanwhile, as a mother of three
children said, "An April start means that parents take a financial hit
since they will have to account for the June and July school fees, syllabus
requirements and school books. This is an expense they usually space out during
the summer holidays when the academic year starts in August."
Delays
in provision of textbooks
The Sindh Education Department's
announcement regarding an April start must also be viewed in light of the rising
but troubling trend of delays in textbooks reaching the students. The Sindh
Textbook Board has already hinted at a delay in the distribution of books this
year; if students don't receive books in time, perhaps the decision for an April
or August start becomes irrelevant.
In education circles, however, the
issue has become controversial.
"Such interference is quite regrettable,"
said Mrs Nargis Alavi, a seasoned educationist and the principal of Habib Public
School. "An April to March session leaves fewer teaching days, almost two months
less during April and May."
On the other hand, private schools in favour
of an April start refer to the stated advantages of an August start as evidence
of "a colonial mindset." Although some of these schools concede that there may
be a fewer number of teaching days in an April to March session, most stand
convinced by the argument that Sindh faces a peculiar weather situation and
soaring temperatures. Representatives of these schools argue that once children
take their examinations and are promoted to higher classes in March, they can
look forward to a two-month summer break after having familiarised themselves
with the new syllabus for two weeks and some homework.
Abuse of
power
The strained relationship between private schools and the
education department takes a heavy toll on quality education.
On their
part, private schools claim that they filled the void left after public schools
were nationalised by the Bhutto government during the 1970s. And while the
Ministry of Education wants some sanity is terms of quality education, it
remains embroiled in successive controversies: last year's news, for example,
concerned a rift between the former chief minister and the education minister
which resulted in the delay of placement orders for textbooks.
"Officers
in the ministry show commitment in all honesty on the table but under the table,
massive abuses of power are taking place," said the owner of a private school on
the condition of anonymity. According to this owner, favours extracted from
private schools include pressure to take admissions and fee
reductions.
There is also the issue that the recent decision was taken
during a caretaker set-up.
"How can an interim minister take a decision
on any matter when he is only supposed to supervise the smooth sailing of the
state of affairs and then take a bow after the elections?" asked Professor Anita
Ghulam Ali, former education minister and now the managing director of the Sindh
Education Foundation. Furthermore, she said that having worked with schools in
Sindh for years, she cannot understand why the summer heat necessitates a change
in the academic schedule.
Sources also pointed out that the interim
education minister's wife runs a private school and is also contesting the
upcoming elections. Critics raised the possibility that many votes had been
promised for an April-start decision since it benefits invigilators/teachers who
are employed during the SSC examinations almost throughout the summer
vacations.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education awaits the final decision
regarding an April or August start in the province's schools after an
inter-provincial meeting scheduled for Feb 4. The issue hinges on whether the
ministry feels the heat.
Holidays for private schools in Sindh during
2007
Holiday Number of days taken off
*Summer holidays
75
*Winter vacations 10 (extended to 18 days last
year)
*Exams/result preparation 20
Total: 105 (= 15
weeks)
*2-day weekends (Saturday & Sunday) 74
Religious
holidays:
*Ashura 2
*Chehlum 1
*Eid milad-un-nabi
1
*Shab-e-Barat 1
*Shab-e-Mairaj 1
*Eid-ul fitr
3
*Eid-ul-Azha 3
Total: 13
Other gazetted
holidays:
*Kashmir day (Feb 5) 1
*Pakistan Resolution Day (March 23)
1
*Labour Day (May 1) 1
*Independence Day (August 14) 1
*Quaid
death anniversary (Sept 11) 1
*Iqbal's death anniversary (Nov 9) 1
Total: 6
Provincial/local holidays:
*Shah Abdul Latif
Bhittai's Urs 1
*Abdullah Shah Ghazi's Urs 2
Total:
3
Unscheduled holidays: 10 (average per year)
Total holidays per
year 211 (= approximately 30 weeks)
- Courtesy: Teachers Resource Centre (Dawn)
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| Education News | | Updated: 24 May, 2012 |
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