What are they Teaching in Pakistani Schools Today?

Another great article from Prof. Hoodbhoy. I agree with ``friend``#13, we Indians should refrain from making this as India-Pakistan war. As an educator myself, I can feel the frustrations of teaching students with less than adequate background. I had seen earlier articles on how history had been taught in Pakistan, but never knew the authenticity of those articles. I hope the current regime really works on these problems than harvesting any more poison.

Thanks Prof. Hoodhbhoy for bringing to the table, another very important issue for Pakistani community to think about. It is not possible for any sincere Pakistani to disagree about the urgent need to overhaul the decaying education system. It is very sad to see the extreme orthodoxy and conservatism seeping so deep into an area of top priority.

One of the best solutions, I think, is to do away with centralized curriculum board and Intermediate and Secondary Board Systems. Let each high school and college be independent in awarding diplomas and degrees, very much like Universities. The entrance examinations to the colleges and universities should be enough to judge the required backgroung of a student.

Let each school or school district be free to choose text books from competing publishing houses. The Arabic language and Islamiat should be dropped as compulsory subjects.

The teachers` training is probably as important as the change of curriculum. If a science Professor never stops from bragging, how he smashed his TV set in the middle of the street because it is evil; what kind of scientific ethics and morality, he is teaching? There must be strict guidelines and oversights for such irresponsible personal behavior forwarded as a model. A present or a future science teacher must teach science and not the miraculous nature of gravity, properties of water, carbon and oxygen. How can a person sincerely teach Evolutionary Biology, if he/ she believes deeply in divine creation?

Professor, you have my best wishes and prayers for your sincere and tireless efforts to improve the standard of education for the next generation Pakistanis and actually doing something about the liberalization and modernization of our education system.

As somebody who took his O Levels and A Levels and American APs in Pakistan I was unaware of the ridiculous objectives of the ministry of education in Pakistan. However I feel that a sound education policy in Pakistan will undertake the following .....

1)enable the child to pursue analytical reasoning ....

2)enable the child to distinguish between right and wrong

3)enable the child to have an open mind ....

As far as the inculcation of national and religious pride is concerned that too is important but should not become the cornerstone of education

policy ... Comparitive religions and Islamic studies should become more accademic than religious khutbas ... for religious education Sunday Schools should be opened .... history of Pakistan should start from pre historic times rather than the conquest by Muhammad ibne Qassim .... In any event ... nobody should be bashed especially India ... though children should be made aware of History without Prejudice .....

Science and Philosophy should be given their due importance ... since World is ruled by Economics and Economics is ruled by technology which is ruled by science which in turn is ruled by philosophy !!!!!!!!

Remember no country and no education system is perfect ... we all know of the prejudices against the Communists and the Non Americans in the American Systems .....

Pervez #12: ``As a recently appointed member of the Advisory Board on Education``

Since you have an opportunity to see the policies of the current govt. from the, ``inside,`` I was wondering whether you could share your views with us on what the current govts` plans are for educaction; both at the primary level, as well as in the IT sector. Is the new govt. more sincere or insincere in its actions in general, and in the field of education in particular? Is the Minister of Education compotent in her area, etc.

Jay #5,

Let us Indians keep out of this discussion. Something important is being discussed. It should not again degrade into a indo-pak match.

Regards

#1. TEMPORAL: I absolutely agree that too little is spent on education and too much on defence. But spending more without structural reform will do little for Pakistani education. Compared to Bangladesh and India, we spend 2.5 and 4 times more per schoolchild respectively but end up with demonstrably poorer results. I`m afraid the leaks in the system (ghost schools etc) will have to be plugged before we can make a convincing case for more money.

#2,3. OMARPHOENIX: You have a lot of fire, and that`s what Pakistan needs. When you finish your degree, come back here, look around, and see where you can use your talents most efficiently. Nobody can tell you what`s the best place - it`ll have to be your own judgement.

#4. TAHMED321. You ask who is responsible for the garbage. Answer: the Curriculum Wing of the Ministry of Education. As a recently appointed member of the Advisory Board on Education, I approached them for an explanation in the presence of the federal education minister, Zubaida Jalal, at a meeting of the Board last week. It was an angry exchange. The CW is not penitent and does not share your opinion that it is garbage. In their opinion they are safeguarding Islam and national unity. If you feel strongly on this subject, please obtain a copy of the curricula at different levels and express your opinion by writing in Pakistani newspapers.

#4 SHAHBAZC: NGOs have an important role to play in education. For details, see the chapter on NGOs in ``Education and the State - 50 Years of Pakistan`` published by Oxford University Press. There are education NGO websites. I have a few addresses but I`m sure that there are far more. It`s a great idea to turn over some non-functioning govt schools to NGOs but this has only partially worked for a number of reasons.

In a certain manner the following report highlights the emerging mindsets of school children in the continent. Granted that folks mentioned in the story ostensibly left schools many moons ago.

____________________

Dilip D`Souza


Silence of the Hawks


The sheer childishness of it all is a wonder to me. Two grown men -- they know each other and have undoubtedly spoken numerous times -- find themselves on the same long flight, sitting a few feet apart. Both know the other is there. But they don`t exchange a word, even pretend not to have noticed each other. This happens not once, but twice in the space of a few days, the second time with another pair of grown men on another long flight.

Now these are more than just your everyday men; they are senior leaders in their respective countries. Yet their behaviour must cause onlookers to ask: Are these adults or overgrown children? Ministers or playground runabouts? Statesmen or half-men?

The first pair was Jaswant Singh and Abdul Sattar, foreign ministers of India and Pakistan respectively. Heading for the recent meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, they took the same flight last Saturday from Miami to Cartagena, Colombia. Sattar was already seated in the plane as it waited at the gate in Miami. Singh arrived late and hurried on board. Reports tell us that he ``studiously`` avoided eye contact with his Pakistani counterpart as he made his way down the aisle to his seat three rows behind. For the several hours to Cartagena, they sat just like that. ``The deep freeze in Indo-Pak ties,`` PTI reported, ``was evident`` on that flight.

The second pair was General Perveiz Musharraf and India`s Human Resources Development Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi. They took the same flight to Havana for a meeting of 77 developing countries. Joshi followed the example Singh had set. Edged his way past the general. Sat in silence the rest of the trip. Was whisked away on arrival in Havana, separately from the general.

Here`s the fruit of hostility between India and Pakistan: Childish pettiness from our most senior leaders.

Now I met several Pakistanis last week. Some of them, I had met before. Curiously, we didn`t turn up our noses at each other. We didn`t look ``studiously`` past each other. We didn`t maintain haughty silences. No, we sat down, chugged a beer or two together, talked. I say this with no particular desire to show off. Nor do I feel ashamed of our familiarity. It just happened that way, is all. We behaved just as anyone -- you and I, for example -- might at a gathering. Some small talk, some gossip, some arguments, even heated ones. Normal stuff from normal people.

But apparently when you get to be a minister in our part of the world, you can`t be normal any more. You have to play-act a kiddie way through life.

I can see it already. Here in an India Today article by Swapan Dasgupta I`m looking at, for example. Those Pakistanis I mentioned, and those of us who met them, are all soft, goody-goody ``leftists`` and ``peaceniks``, thus to be dismissed. We ``bleeding-hearts`` are entirely out of touch with reality. Meanwhile, it`s the ``hawks`` who have a monopoly on a true understanding of the realpolitik of Indo-Pak relations. Peace between our countries will come not from the naivete of the ``peaceniks``, but via the hard-nosed realism of the ``hawks.``

All very well. Except when hawks play their games on international flights, you have to wonder who`s truly out of touch with reality. Us, doing what comes naturally? Or the hawks, with their silly playschool play-acting? When 60-year-old men behave like five-year-olds, are they being hard-nosed?

Of course, Jaswant Singh went on to win India a ``major diplomatic triumph`` in Cartagena. He persuaded NAM that military-ruled states should be debarred from membership. Though a final decision will be taken only next year, Singh made the case that NAM should take a ``principled stand`` against ``countries which subverted democratic principles.`` (Apart from anything else, let`s remember that this is the same NAM that once had Castro`s Cuba as its chair. That watched Cuba try to introduce a resolution saying the Soviet Union was the ``natural ally`` of the NAM. In NAM-space, principles mean little).

He spoke easily of a ``principled stand``, but Master Singh really only wanted to make digs at Pakistan. That phrase he used, ``countries which subverted democratic principles,`` is mere code for ``Pakistan``. As Seema Guha points out in the Times of India, ``The purpose of the entire exercise was not so much respect for democracy as to nail ... Musharraf. If democracy was the hallmark, India could have been just as cool towards its eastern neighbour, Myanmar. Yet New Delhi, in its eagerness to woo the military junta in Myanmar, has steadily ignored the cause of the democratic movement [there].``

Or, the only reason Master J Singh went to this NAM meeting was to find ways to embarrass Pakistan. These days, it seems that`s the only reason any of our Ministers go to any international meeting. But oddly enough, Master Singh was in excellent company as he went about his embarrassing endeavours. Master A Sattar was busy finding ways to embarrass India, chiefly by what, in Indian circles, is always described as ``raking up the Kashmir issue.``

They did not care to speak to each other, these two overgrown kids, but they worked overtime trying to score brownie points off each other. More delicious fruit of the hostility between India and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, we leftist bleeding-heart Indian and Pakistani peaceniks spent most of a day together in Mumbai. Three memories from that day, if I may.

One: We had a small squad of policemen with us, to ward off any hawk-inspired hostility. One cop stood with our one-woman reception committee near the immigration counter at the airport, watching the Pakistanis emerge. ``Arre,`` he whispered to her wonderingly, ``these fellows look just like us!``

It should be no surprise, but the tragedy is that it is -- that people from across the border do look just like us. What the cop said is certainly a cliche, but it bears being repeated. Over and over, if it helps break down stupidity.

Two: When we rounded up everybody after lunch to head for Juhu Beach, two of the Pakistanis were missing. Consternation for a while. Then we remembered the five Mumbai constables sitting outside. A couple of hours earlier, the missing pair had been seen talking to them. Now, we rushed out to check.

The two were still there, chatting with the havaldars like old chums. Smiles and handshakes as they reluctantly parted company.

Three: At Juhu Beach, the Pakistanis traipsed off in all directions. Some took rides, some munched coconuts and corn, some ran down to the water`s edge to wade in the waves. Within seconds, not one was visible among the crowd on the beach. Until I saw three, some distance away. They were surrounded by several unknown locals and the whole group was caught up in an animated discussion. My heart skipped a beat. After all, in the climate our hard-nosed hawks and sawdust supremos have built up, especially in Mumbai, who knows what might happen to a few Pakistanis left to themselves on a crowded beach?

I needn`t have worried. Suddenly, they were all exchanging hugs. Try that on for size, you silly little hawks.

Dear SR,

Reply No7.

As for the big shifts that you mention, us adults have a lot to learn from the children. Their ability to be mentally flexible, from being superman at one minute to a fireman doctor who also has a robotic arm is mind blowing. If only we could take another one of these properties from children rather than the adult model which proposes `I can only be one thing` such as a lawyer, or a doctor or an Imran Khan or whatever. The mind of the children and adults in Pakistan have to be awakened. You can be anything at any age as long as you believe.

Take care,

Omar Phoenix

Dear SR,

Reply 7

Where should I start from, My problem/God`s blessing is that I like to do everything. I`ll elaborate. I`m not trying to be BIG-headed over here but for example, at the age of 21, I`m a professional painter, an academic, I already tuition students, I`m also a musician and have currently struck a deal with an agent to write a novel so in the near future, I`ll (hopefully) be a published writer. Oh did I mention, I can cook the best Aloo Gosht. Please don`t take this as arrogance, I`m just trying to show you a point. People think for some reason that because of these things I`m smart whereas I`m an average. If you were to ask me to tie my shoelaces, I`d go into a coma with confusion (a computer crash).

As for the scientist/teacher thing. For a start, I`d hope you`d understand that I would wish to be a University Lecturer and not the person who teaches Alif, Bae, Pae etc to young munchkins. A Lot of people who I speak to get confused over this. I don`t know what the scene in Pakistan is (probably the same as anywhere else perhaps), but here in UK for example; you can both teach and be a scientist at the same time. In fact, If I`m allowed to do a PHD (long time from now), the whole package will comprise of research/teaching. My emphasis is not really on teaching but on making a positive change to the education system in Pakistan. In the attempt of being resourceful, I would hope (I could be wrong, please correct me if you feel) that to learn the ins and the outs of the education system, one would have to be a teacher/lecturer in the first place to get a real feel. Once again as I stated before, I don`t know much about the Pakistan system and what makes it tick. Also I would not return to Pakistan straight after finishing my pharmacy degree because, I have a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience to add to myself which I would hope to shift towards Pakistan. I consider myself to be at the tip of the iceberg at the present moment. Also I feel, if I went to the country now, I`d probably be made into a clerk and forced into showing my Z forms and Q forms etc. So as I said, now is the time for me to lay low, and make myself powerful over the years.

As for why such a move, I`ve always considered it from a very young age and as I`ve grown and continue to do so, that idea is maturating. If you`ve read my post No2, you would know that if someone had such a thought at that age, then that kid would obviously have a business to settle. Therefor, Dr. P.H has not converted me although hanging around people like him does help nudge you in the right direction and strengthen your belief. It`s also refreshing to know that there are people out there who give a damn about their home and are trying do something about it in their own way. As for why I want to return to Pakistan, despite the fact that I have pretty much nothing in common with the major mentality that hangs over peoples` heads, I cannot offer you a logical explanation. Then again who said that love was logical. (Do we have a politician in the making with his heartfelt cheesy lines;-)

Take care and best wishes.

Omar Phoenix.

CHOICE OF SUBJECTS,

The following is the story of what an indian learned in a pak prison. Prison appear to be better than the school, at least there appear to be a choince. What is important in the following is the UNTOUCHABILITY in pakistan, muslims wont touch the hindus. Great, the last true hindu brahmin could be a muslim in pakistan. It is interesting, when given a chance a muslim wants to behave like a brahmin. Must be the arab blood doing it.

From outcast to Pak prison pundit

Aradhana Kalia and Sonal Manchanda (New Delhi, April 15)



Roop Lal having lunch with his grandchildren at their Hari Nagar residence in the Capital on Saturday. Photo: Prakash Singh

IT IS a tale of survival, which is almost surreal. Arrested in 1974 and released in 2000. Twenty-five years of pain and loneliness of solitary confinement in a foreign land and finally, triumph. It is also a story of the lessons that he learnt, ones that weathered him through quarter of a century. The story of Roop Lal is one of grit and courage.

The man, who was illiterate when he went to prison, has come out educated and armed with survival skills. And what began as an exercise to pass time, soon became his vocation, one that helped him earn a living inside the prison.

``It may sound unbelievable, but it was palmistry that helped me survive. I started learning it just to kill time. I borrowed books from here and there and taught myself just about everything that there is to know about this ancient art,`` says Roop Lal.

Soon, he became the local pundit of the prison and people, prisoners and staff alike, started flocking to him. ``Initially, I was hesitant. But soon I realised that my predictions came true and I started charging hefty sums,`` he says.

It amuses him no end that the same people who refused to shake hands with him because he was a Hindu, now started paying him to touch them. ``I also decided that I would treat them the way they had treated me. From an outcast, I became one of the most-sought after men in the prison,`` he recalls with a wide grin on his face.

Roop Lal says he used to charge Rs 500 per person for reading palms.

``I was kinder to my fellow prisoners, especially ones whose hands told me they did not have much longer time to live. I would tell them they would be exonerated and because I knew I was not telling the truth, I charged them only Rs 50. I could not tell them the truth because I myself had been there and I knew what it was like to live in the shadow of death,`` he says.

And the money he earned was used to further his education. ``I would bribe the jail staff to buy papers and books for myself. I also taught myself English and Urdu, the language in which all the reading material available there,`` he says.

Yet, now that he is a free man, Roop Lal wants to erase the memories of his harrowing past. ``I will never read anyone`s palm ever again,`` he vows. All that he wants to do is to start his life afresh, even if it means giving up the only skill that helped him survive.

re: Omarphoenix #3

I was under the impression that you wanted to be a scientist and were studying to become one. This is based on what you wrote in your recent ``Origin of Life`` article and its InterAct responses.

Now I read that you`d like to return to Pakistan after you finish your Pharmacy degree and become a school teacher over there. From scientist to school teacher is a big shift.

Congratulations on this bold and noble decision of yours. What changed your mind? Was it PH`s article on the sad state of the education system there?

Best wishes,

...SR

re: temporal,

Your point is well taken. The most recent editorial in DAWN by Ayaz Amir also touches upon this theme. Appended hereunder, is a small portion of his editorial article:

``...Not having an eye for the larger picture also means that there is no sense of priorities. The primary and the secondary, the important and the unimportant, get mixed together. This can have fatal consequences for a country with limited resources and an infinity of problems.

Having seized power in 1917, Lenin was faced with a stark choice: prosecute the war against Germany (Russia being a part of the anti-German alliance) or consolidate the Bolshevik Revolution. Over the
objections of his colleagues, Lenin opted for peace even though it came in a humiliating package. But Lenin was clear in his mind. Safeguarding the revolution was more important than riding the horse of misplaced nationalism.

Mao did much the same thing during the Long March. He traded territory for survival. The Red Army escaped encirclement in order to fight another day.

What are our priorities? Setting our house in order or emulating the feats of Genghis Khan? We have to make up our minds because we cannot have it both ways. Courting regional isolation because of our identification with the Taliban and encouraging a strange mix of extremist factions to keep alive the fires of insurrection in occupied Kashmir are aims at odds with the task of national
reconstruction. This scarcely means Kashmir be abandoned. Only this that the Kashmiris themselves should lead their fight for independence.

As for our nuclear capability, it fits in with nothing. It does not enhance our security and only gives us a false sense of self-importance...`` etc

(from DAWN, April 15)

Whenever (whether at the level of a whole society or at an individual level) IDEOLOGY (and it doesn`t matter WHAT kind of ideology we speak of) takes precedence over PRAGMATISM, the results are always troublesome.

...SR

A great article because it presents some solutions instead of just restating the problem.

Some time ago Shahbaz Sharif offered to let educational NGOs of the country take part in how the government schools were run. To my surprise, the NGO`s refused. Perhaps someone could comment on why it is not a good idea to let NGO`s have a say in how schools are run.

I remember there used to be ``Nai Roshni`` schools that seemed to cater to the lower middle class (or even poor) since they offered classes in the evening, etc. Again, apparently that was not a success although it seemd like to good idea to me (although I was 10 back then). Perhaps someone could say something about that.

The schools run by the the Citizen Foundation seem to have a good reputation. They teach English from the beginning, have well trained teachers and have students who show a lot of enthusiasm. Perhaps a comparison of CF schools, government schools and elite schools could be done.

I remember hearing that the government schools in Islamabad were better than government schools anywhere else in the country. Why is it that the capital can have better schools? The argument that the government officials live there doesn`t really fly becaues most of their kids probably go to private schools.

There are obviously several NGO`s in Pakistan doing good work. Unfortunately there is little information about them on the web. All the research done about development in Pakistan probably passes no more than a few hands. In the internet age, I`m surprised there aren`t research papers and Pakistani NGO portals all over (...well actually I`m not surprised).

If the NGO`s don`t have the resources to make use of information technology, I`m sure many would volunteer. I suppose I will: chaudhar@umich.edu

Who, I wonder, is responsible for putting that garbage in the official curriculum for completion of Class-V. If there is a crime against humanity (``humanity`` being none other than our own Pakistani children in this case), it is the person who put down that hate-mongering garbage in the curriculum that you mention. Thanks for bringing up the one issue that should be central to our national concerns - the proper education of our children. We are already reaping the harvest of the years of neglect.

I wonder what you think of the private schools and NGO schools in Pakistan which I think are doing much better than public schools?

Dear Dr. Hoodhbhoy,

I am currently a Pharmacy student and when I complete my degree I would like to go into the teaching profession. Though the pay is less, there is a reason for me choosing this option. I would eventually wish to go back to Pakistan and like to make a positive contribution to the education scene and I feel a teaching/research career is the best first step. (I have absolutely no logical idea why I want to do this, though it`s probably due to my 7-year history in the land of the pure). Of course, now is not the time to do anything radical but to sit down, develop my skills, learn and make my self powerful.

I am very interested in the education scene of Pakistan, but do not know much…well how could I, a country which spends only 2.3% of its GDP on education, there`s obviously not much to read about in papers. If its not too much bother, I would appreciate any web sites or useful information you could provide me with. My email address is Omarphoenix@aol.com

Take care and best wishes.

Omar Phoenix.

Dear Dr. Hoodbhoy

Thank you for highlighting the real root of Pakistan`s problem when every one of us is bantering over comparatively pathetic issues like burqa, Bakra Eid and PAF being better than IAF. I`m now at the age of 21 and although I`m currently living in UK, I had the pleasure of staying in Pakistan for 7 years from the age of 4 till 11. I have tasted the teacher`s beating on many occasions due to my rebellious nature (I was only trying to correct my teacher`s spelling) and a big ego (I always refused to cry). Nothing has frustrated me more than the educational system of Pakistan.

Our school was a public school, nothing extraordinary, and 80% of it was a dry dusty land. During the summer holidays, my teacher, Mazhar Saahib, would order us to COPY the Maths book 12 times, COPY the English book 20 times, COPY the Maasharti Aloom 18 times and so forth. At the age of 9 I wondered, why doesn`t he give all of his students a project to make the dusty playground fertile and green or why doesn`t he tell us to develop something which would help our studies. During the summer of 1988, I spent my whole summer trying to develop ideas that would make our student life more educational and interesting. No doubt those ideas were childish but nevertheless they seemed important to me then.

12/09/1988, when I took a whole book full of ideas to my teacher and told him that this was my homework for summer, he ripped up the book and slapped me on my face. That was the first time I cried and I realised then that these weeds, the teachers, elders, mullahs, politicians, even our parents, they all had to die before anything good could, can and will come out of Pakistan because that was the only way this slave, primordial, colonial mentality of Ba Ba Blacksheep would undergo extinction. Needless to say, I have spoken to the young Pakistani generation and their whole attitude is very much different from their progenitors.

If I may make another point; due to the lack of sex education/contraception, the previous generations of illiterate adults have screwed themselves dry, each harbouring a village of 17 children. Now that those adults are becoming old and will die out in the next 10-12 years, they will leave behind a tremendous population of young blood that has nothing to do. We complain about Pakistan being a turmoiled state. We haven`t seen anything yet. True anarchy is yet to follow.

Once again, thank you.

Omar Phoenix