What are they Teaching in Pakistani Schools Today?

While searching for information about alleged scholarships for foreign study awarded by the government of India (none found), I came across the following, which on the surface at least, seems like a good idea.

``The scheme of Financial Assistance for Modernisation of Madrasa Education is being implemented with a view to encouraging traditional institutions like Madrasas and Maktabs to introduce science, mathematics, social studies, Hindi and English in their curriculum.

Under the scheme cent per cent assistance is given to such institutions for appointment of qualified teachers for teaching the new subject to be introduced.

An amound of Rs 383.25 lakh has been released for 1274 Madrasas during the Eighth Five Year Plan period.``

[India : 1998, Ministry of I & B ]

-arun gupta

SOUL SEARCHING

Yet another futile soul searching by the pakistanis, this time they wanted it with out interference by the indians. What did they come up with, absolutely nothing as usual, pure verbiage peppered with hopelesness. No new ideas, no lateral thinking.

Fifty years ago pakistan and india had same education system of Lord McKauley, designed to produce clerks to support the british masters. The two countries have evolved their education system along different paths. Today top US companies come to india to recruit graduates. Graduates of pakistani system are sent to Chehniya, Philippines and of course to the neighbouring countries to spread what they have learned.

It is hard to say which is better, there may not be any `objective` crteria. But what is diplorable is the refusal of pakistanis to accept what is today and the reason behind it.

Two Nation Theory, TNT. Pakistan was created for it, and there is no harm in accepting the reason why the education system has eveolved along the lines the article portrays. That is the destiny of pakistan, the accident theory is a joke. Accept TNT, work with it. A country created for islam has to show case it, what ever be there to display.

Response#115

Dear Mr. B. Ahmed:

Geography is ``Bhugol`` in Bengali. I guess it comes from the shape of our mother earth which is round. As far as I know, Bhu is earth, and gol is round.

Regards

cheraym

bahmad #115,

In northern India, term for geography are ``Bhu-gol`` and ``bhu-shastra`` and are regularly used during studies. There are other equivalents in Sanskrit but they are not in popular use.

I believe that their are equivalent terms in Gujarati, Bengali and Rajasthani also.

Regards

Please Help!

A well-known American geographer is working on a project in which he is collecting the word “geography” or its equivalent in as many languages as he could. Sometimes the word translates as “homeland” or “the earth as home of humans” or “the land in its spiritual, mystical, and economic sense” or “where the earth, sky, and water meet.”

This geographer would very much like the word or phrase for geography used in languages spoken in Pakistan and her neighboring countries. He has asked me for help. Chowkwallas could you please help us in this regard. If yes, kindly write me at bahmad@home.com. Your help will be highly appreciated.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

As an Indian I am not only extremely worried by the `HATE INDIA` compaign in education by the Pakistani establishment but equally worried by similar `things` being propagated in India against Pakistan by the proponants of HINDUTVA philosophy.

Dear Author

Its quite disheartening to learn the way those young buds are corrupted by being fed with hatred and criminal thoughts. Its simply unbearable to happen anywhere on this planet, let alone in Pakistan.

I hope anyone would agree to this phrase `We had enough`. Its applicable for everything in terms of war, accusal, famine, espionage, fanatism, etc. You name it and any sensible person will say `we had enough`.

I sincerely hope that scholars and writers are the two important divine groups who can make things to happen, right or wrong. I hereby request you to emphasise on this point and let those responsible in committing such crime, realise that they are breaking eggs, and not hatching them.

Regards

Ramakrishnan

Somethings you simply cannot walk away from no matter how hard you try ...

The O/A levels versus the Metric/Intermediate system debate seems to have lost none of its vigour. Countries the world over have developed their own systems usually variations on the basic concept of a comprehensive yet reasonably deep understanding and grasp of the fundamentals of sicence, math, language, literature, history and in some of the far eastern countries civic sense - altho our definition and theirs may well be poles apart. But thats another discussion. I am not suggesting something as rhetorical as why can`t we ... but I would like to suggest that the debate on one versus the other is stale, contributing to nothing but excited and myopic arguments in defence of one or the other.

I used to think education was the meaning of life. Education could change the world. If only we were a nation of literates 99 percent of our problems would be solved. No longer and certainly not within the existing socio-moral, pseudo religious environment that is slowly becoming all pervasive. If it isnt one its the other.

Regardless of whether ones education takes place within the stifling confines of the British system in its `pristine` form or the maddening smugness of its distorted, maladjusted local form, survival of the fittest defines the successes of the unsuspecting child struggling though either.

While there may well be an inordinate number of O`levelers whinging incessantly of the travails of pak studies and islamiyat, there are quite a few who`ve studied the same as part of the Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies syllabus as defined by the University of Cambridge and as included by the precious few private schools (are they still around or have they given up due to the dearth of teachers) in their mandatory core course O`levels curriculum. The syllabus itself is worth a second glance. Any self respecting `student` would find it about as easy going as the Pure Math A levels syllabus; pardon the not so subtle implications! Stereotypical generalities and myopic comparisons will accomplish nothing besides airing festering prejudices and misunderstandings.

Mayhap, a quick perusal of the `kafirs` unbiased ? (is that possible) approach to studying Islam, questioning, probing, unveiling, interpreting, sifting, contextualising, will prove conducive to developing that mythical of all things ... moral fibre in sentient beings. Horror of horrors.

dL

Sir,

I being an Indian and moreover a neighbour of Pakistan would like to suggest on the following for better prospect of your country (polite).

A) The system of differentiating two religions would

narrow thoughts of young people.Moreover I believe it is against Islam (A religion which respects all other religions).

B) Every future citizen ought to learn, to respect the soverginity of their neighbouring countries and must think positively to bring about peace and harmony.

C) I second the notion of young people being patriotic towards their country.But it needn`t be put into bad use.Pakistan must realize what most of the other countries don`t preach (Jehad).I can only pity upon this situation.Please do realize its negative aspects.

D) Students must understand the importance of

bilateral talks with India.I can understand your anger on India`s stand on this issue.But India as such also has some commitments towards its people.

E) Educational reforms are meant to do good for the

younger generation.So,bringing about the old system of your education might do more harm than good.

I am writing this letter as a responsible neighbour and I am in no sense, a rumour monger.

In response to Abu_hal #103.

I was planning to respond to your post on Hindus eating cowdung, but got quite busy after that. You can be proud of your religion and teaching without abusing others. I am a Hindu and I have never seen anybody in my family for the last three generations eating cowdung. Forget about eating, I have not seen anybody touching cowdung, niether I have seen any of my close Hindu friends in three continents doing so. Coming to the point of being pagans, if you have a positive attitude towards life, you may think ``see Hindus, they are so imaginitive, they bring in God in daughter form (Parvati for Durga), mother form, destroyer forms and so on.... Who has seen god afterall?``

For your response to the Pakistanis who are sympathetic/friendly towards India, you wrote``

Rest Pakistanis: You guys call yourselves liberals but can not tolerate any conservative view point. To you may define success as`` speaking English in an American accent on a mobile phone to a gori girlfriend while driving to your dot com startup in your new Lexus 4x4.`` But that vision is not shared by every one. Seek the eternal truth through Quraan and you will be truly happy. It seems you are so tolerant and supportive of Indians that you will role red carpets for their tanks when they March to Lahore and use your

radar to guide their bombing sorties to Sargodha. Wake up and smell the kafirs``.

Is that your viewpoint for the moderates? Never mind, it may be their extended hands of friendship that will save the sub-continent from the ruins of a nuclear war. On the other hand, it is your call for smelling Kafir will bring the smell of blood, toxic gases and cries of millions. Wake up and fear for the day when we all cease to exist.

You are right, the forum was on Pakistani education, and thanks for derailing it. You probably don`t even see what you have done to do that. Email and internet are too impersonal. I hope you make friendship with a Hindu, only then you will be able to put things in proper perspectives.

Regards

Cheraym

Published in the Online edition of India`s National Newspaper- Tuesday, April 25, 2000
http://www.the-hindu.com/stories/03250007.htm


Pak. to school young minds in `hate`

By Amit Baruah

ISLAMABAD, APRIL 24. It is official. Pakistani children, who don`t know better, are to be initiated into hate campaigns. The Government of Pakistan, through its Federal Education Ministry, wants to create students, who at the completion of Class V, should be able to comprehend ``India`s evil designs against Pakistan``.

In an article entitled `What are they Teaching in Pakistani Schools Today?`, posted on the Chowk website (www.chowk.com), Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, who teaches physics at Islamabad`s Quaid-e-Azam University, has revealed in graphic terms what the ``ideal`` Pakistani student should be.

Quoting from an official document of the Curriculum Wing of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Hoodbhoy lists a number of benchmarks for a student at the end of Class V, including being able to ``understand Hindu-Muslim differences and the resultant need for Pakistan``.

These students should also be able to ``acknowledge and identify forces that may be working against Pakistan; demonstrate by actions a belief in the fear of Allah; make speeches on jehad and shahadat; be safe from rumour-mongers who spread false news; learn the national anthem by heart and recite it in class; visit police stations; collect pictures of policemen, soldiers and National Guards and demonstrate respect for the leaders of Pakistan.``

``One presumes that on the morning of October 12, 1999, (the day of the military coup), a model student had to present evidence of respect for Nawaz Sharif, and in the evening for Pervez Musharraf,`` Dr. Hoodbhoy writes.

``Pakistan has yet to decide whether it wishes to live in the 21st century of modern education or return to the days of Nizam- ul-Mulk and the madrassa system of the 11th century,`` he says.

``The present school curriculum - enforced by the Curriculum Wing (CW) of the Federal Ministry of Education - makes little effort to link Pakistani patriotism, or Islam, with civic responsibilities such as growing and nurturing trees, preserving the environment, acceptance of Pakistan`s diversity of religions, languages, and cultures, paying one`s fair share of taxes... instead, passivity, blind indoctrination and indoctrination are the goals.

``The pharaohs of the Curriculum Wing insist that Pakistani children must learn in at least three languages - Urdu, English, Arabic - and often the mother tongue, if different, as well. The linguistic burden is sufficient to cripple tender minds,`` according to the article.

Dear Mr. Pervez HoodBhoy,

I am writing this in total respect for your achievements and your unquestionable credentials. I just read the article you have written in chowk.com , `What are they Teaching in Pakistani Schools Today?`

The article majorly teaches a HATE INDIA and INDIANS culture to the very young hearts which doesn`t know what HATE is all about.

This is written without any bias to anybody. I am an Indian but I am not writing this in support or against any country. I am just speaking truth and logic.

We all know that one whole generation is lost in the BLOODY attitude of Hate India and HINDUS. We , all learned people can`t let this continue. How many lives had been lost on either side of the border.India might be wrong

or Pakistan might be wrong.We can`t travel back in time to change HISTORY. Let Bygones be bygones.

We don`t have to make sure that the next generation also carries this SKULL box and make sure more BLOOD flows in the Indus and the Ganges for centuries to come.

We need to root out Hatred out of the blood. The world is moving away from the ethnic lines and hatred of the previous century. We are in a new Millenium. We can kick start our lives with love and RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE. We are already seeing it happening in Israel & Palestine,

Germany & UK,Ireland & UK and numerous examples around the world. The world has finally realized the hopelessness of the HATE CULTURE. It doen`t take you anywhere except destruction. After all what is there in a religion? If I am born in your family I become a muslim and if You are born in my family You are a Hindu.

Religion is man made however old it might be. Religions were created to bring civilization to the human beings who otherwise whould go astray with no moral fear of anything.The symbol of GOD made the human to think twice before he committed any wrong. Religion did the job what the Courts are doing today. In a sense the concept of religion has outlived its usefulness.

Since you are a Doctorate in Physics , I dont have get deep into the cosmic order of things and say that life begins and ends

in time. And nobody has successfully lived beyond time. And even time has death. So In this huge order of things religion and Human beings are nothing. Territorial claims and counter-claims is not gonna take us anywhere. Ultimately You don`t have the key to control time. NOTHING IS GONNA SURVIVE TIME. So why do we fight for something that doesn`t belong to anybody and die. Why can`t we all live in peace and prosperity.

We need to feed Millions of people be it a hindu,muslim or a christian or any other religion. Starvation and Death is the same for a Black or white or any human being of any race , creed, language, religion,color or region. The goal of humanity is only one thing. HAPPINESS.

And nobody is happy when your kith and kin are gonna die for a fight WITHOUT a cause.

WHY CANT we all be tolerant of other religions. AFTER ALL NOTHING or NOBODY is Superior or INFERIOR because nobody is a judge in this COSMIC drama. No Human Being can be a Judge.

We all play our own little roles. The world needs a POPE/GANDHI as well as the Loo cleaner in the slums. We all do certain jobs to make this world a better place. SO WHO and ON WHAT basis ARE you gonna judge who is the BEST. Similarly HOW are we gonna judge which race or RELIGION is better than the rest.



My humble request is : Since people like you are in a position where you can MAKE or BREAK the society with your actions it is you who can make a BIG difference in teaching the impressionable minds about RIGHT and WRONG. You can make a GREAT influence on the next generation. You are the difference between Hate and LOVE. You can make WAR or PEACE as is your decision. You can teach the next genereation about the GREATNESS of TOLERANCE in everything from religion to race to region to caste to language. You can make the difference between a PROMISING future and a PATHETIC past.

Thank You,

Sicerely,

Sethu Ram.

Dear Mr. Pervez HoodBhoy,

I am writing this in total respect for your achievements and your unquestionable credentials. I just read the article you have written in chowk.com , `What are they Teaching in Pakistani Schools Today?`

The article majorly teaches a HATE INDIA and INDIANS culture to the very young hearts which doesn`t know what HATE is all about.

This is written without any bias to anybody. I am an Indian but I am not writing this in support or against any country. I am just speaking truth and logic.

We all know that one whole generation is lost in the BLOODY attitude of Hate India and HINDUS. We , all learned people can`t let this continue. How many lives had been lost on either side of the border.India might be wrong

or Pakistan might be wrong.We can`t travel back in time change HISTORY. Let Bygones be bygones.

We don`t have to make sure that the next generation also carries this SKULL box and make sure more BLOOD flows in the Indus and the Ganges for centuries to come.

We need to root out Hatred out of the blood. The world is moving away from the ethnic lines and hatred of the previous century. We are in a new Millenium. We can kick start our lives with love and RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE. We are already seeing it happening in Israel & Palestine,

Germany & UK,Ireland & UK and numerous examples around the world. The world has finally realized the hopelessness of the HATE CULTURE. It doen`t take you anywhere except destruction. After all what is there in a religion? If I am born in your family I become a muslim and if You are born in my family You are gonna be a Hindu.

Religion is man made however old it might be. Religions were created to bring civilization to the human beings who otherwise whould go astray with no moral fear of anything.The symbol of GOD made the human to think twice before he committed any wrong. Religion did the job what the Courts are doing today. In a sense the concept of religion has outlived its usefulness.

Since you are a Doctorate in Physics , I dont have get deep into the cosmic order of things and say that life begins and ends

in time. A

Comments about this article have appeared in ``The Hindu`` of 25 April 2000.

http://www.the-hindu.com/stories/03250007.htm

-mithuna

Bilal:

Here are some excerpts from Dilip’s column. It has certain relevancy here.

“Before KNB started in the mid-1980s, its founders had thought that their sole commitment must be to poor children. But they came to see that even middle-class children were forced to attend what an early progress report calls ``joyless schools that destroyed their spirit``, where the ``highest values are success in examinations and conspicuous consumption.`` That was 1986, but those remarks apply just as surely today. So many Indian schools kill all creativity, a sense of community and compassion, even a feeling for the planet we live on. Could a new school in Phaltan offer an egalitarian ambience for learning, foster concern among its students for their fellow humans, their surroundings?”


“With that context, these were the goals the founders set for the school:
It will have a free and happy atmosphere.
Students must be from all walks of life, with a concerted effort to attract bright lower-caste children.
The medium of instruction will be Marathi, but English will be taught from Standard 1.
Class size will be strictly limited.
It will use innovative, child-centred, activity-based instruction.
Environmental awareness will be inculcated in its students.
It will be secular.
It must become a resource centre for other schools in the area, particularly government schools.”

You can read the full article at: http://www.rediff.com/news/2000/apr/24dilip.htm

rgds
t

Is education a ``right`` (in Pakistan)? Do we need to set our priorities right? What do we need to do in this regard?

The following news clipping is relevant to our discussion on this forum. Please comment.

Sincerely, Bilal Ahmad

Dawn, April 24, 2000

Speakers suggest reforms in education

By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI, April 23: Speakers at a seminar on Sunday said the standard of education could not be improved until better teachers were employed and qualitative improvement in the syllabus was introduced.

Speaking at a seminar on `Current Issues of Education`, organized by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan`s Core Group on Academic Freedom, they said social science subjects such ashistory, literature, philosophy, etc, which were very important for the grooming of a person, be given due importance.

They said at present the teachers were not given due respect by society and a majority of teachers were those who had either failed to get gainful employment or had entered the teaching profession till the time they got, according to them, a better job offer.

They also said that research, which was one of the major ingredients for the progress of a nation in any field, be encouraged and that an atmosphere of freedom be created in the local educational institutions.

Dr Mehdi Hassan, from Lahore, said a university in Punjab did not give a PhD degree to the person who had given a constitution to this country, but it immediately gave a PhD (in Law) to Gen Zia, who violated the constitution.

Recently, the university also approached Gen Pervaiz Musharraf but he declined the offer. He said that out of the over Rs600 million budget of Punjab University, only 1.6 per cent was spent on research.

Referring to an earlier discussion about the posting of rangers in Karachi University, Dr Mehdi said: ``You are worried about rangers while there are at least two universities where the vice chancellors are generals and other administrative posts in the universities are held by brigadiers, majors, captains, etc.``

He said that if status of a teacher was made more respectable, better qualified people would like to become teachers. This, in turn, would produce good students and then there would be no need to post law enforcement agency people in educational institutions.

Dr Mehdi Hassan said that it was high time that the intellectual movement, which began in the Europe some 400 years back, be started here so that some manner of qualitative change could be expected in this society after a decade or so.

He said that our society has become materialistic and the little emphasis given to education was on subjects which eventually land lucrative jobs. On the contrary, nobody was interested in subjects such as history, philosophy, literature, etc., which were important for the development of character.

He said that it was the duty of the state to provide education, but the state had always considered education as an adversary which was not a new phenomenon. Earlier, governments in Europe had termed the printing of books as an act against the welfare of the state and prosecuted many people for it. The practice, he said, continued till the 1690s.

Dr Mehdi said the reason was that after getting educated, people realized their rights and demanded facilities and services from the state. But since funds, due to wrong priorities, were not available, it was not ready to provide these services.

Navin Haider of the Karachi University spoke about the role of law enforcement agencies in regulating academic freedom. She said that the presence of rangers in the university for over a decade had created an atmosphere of harassment. She said that at the time of their posting, it was said that it was to be a temporary arrangement and that the rangers would be removed soon after the situation improved.

Ten years later, no doubt, the situation had improved, but the government now said that if the rangers were withdrawn violence would again flare up. She said that while the students were not allowed to hold meetings at the campus, a certain student organization was allowed to hold a referendum and also organize other activities within the university.

Calling for setting the priorities right, she said that on one hand the grants for the universities was going down and on the other, government spending on arms and bombs was going up.

Dr M. Ali Yousuf of the Hamdard University, talking on information technology said that many private institutions had mushroomed and were offering degrees in information technology. He said that other technologies were equally important and should not be disregarded.

He also said that private institutions should not only keep their commercial interests in mind but should also have a commitment for education. He said that private institutes considered students as clients and most of the time gave in to their demands. At times, even the teachers were changed on the demand of the students which was not fair.

Some of the banners displayed at the venue read: `Iqra surcharge be spent on education, Grants of universities be restored, Self-finance scheme be abolished` and `Education is a right and not a favour`.