|
Curriculum major hurdle to englightenment: report
LAHORE, Sep 4: A basic barrier in the process to enlighten the Pakistani
society is the extremist content in the Pakistani education curriculum, Project
Director of 'Enlightened Pakistan' Hamza Usmani said on Monday at Lahore Press
Club. The group 'Enlightened Pakistan' is a social activist group made up of
Pakistani high schools, college and university students. This group had prepared
a report 'Producing Thinking Minds' criticising the new curriculum of various
subjects, recently issued by the Education Ministry.
The report also criticises
the older textbooks of the Punjab Text Book Board, currently used to teach
millions of students. Usmani said that the Pakistani education system is in a
dismal state, the illiteracy rate is very high and the literate ones have
received sub-standard education. He said that the Pakistani education system
requires an overhauling and a long-term effort with clearly defined goals and
dedicated resources. Textbook should be well designed to make them good learning
tools, Usmani added. The report prepared by this group calls for abolishing the
rote learning system, as it claims that students are not practically well
equipped.
The report also highlights that the content of the Pakistani
curriculum does not prepare students for practical life and is a waste of time.
Usmani said that the report also critiques the methods of assessment and the low
quality of materials used in the Pakistani schools. Usmani said that the report
looks at the historical stereotypes and biases that are promoted through
textbooks by the government. The report further provides innovative solutions to
eradicate the problems faced by the Pakistani education system. He said that we
have requested the government to deal with this issue since this is a cause of
extremism, intolerance and is an obstacle to peace. The group has sent copies of
the report to President Pervaiz Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Federal
Minister for Education Javed Ashraf Qazi and to the Educaiton Departments. Daily times
|
