Mainstream Textbooks and What They Teach

Now the usual suspects will tell us how Islam is very peaceful and how the
koran is essential for biology education.

Go figure !

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http://www.dawn.com/2004/03/13/top1.htm

Govt apologises over remarks in NA


By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, March 12: An opposition protest walkout from the National Assembly on Friday forced a government apology in what seems to be brewing controversy over how much jihad should be taught in the country`s schools and colleges.

All opposition parties, despite their own known differences over Islamization, joined the MMA-led walkout to protest against a parliamentary secretary`s remarks during the question hour, which was followed by more opposition criticism of army interference in politics on the second day of a debate on President Pervez Musharraf`s Jan 17 address to parliament.

While members of the ARD and its allies returned after a few minutes, those of the MMA stayed away until Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed persuaded them back into the house to hear his apology for the remarks by education parliamentary secretary Dewan Syed Jafar Hussain justifying the omission of some Quranic verses from biology textbooks.

``The inclusion of Quranic verses is not a requirement of curriculum,`` said a written reply from Education Minister Zubaida Jalal in reply to a question from Laiq Khan (MMA, Sindh) about whether and why Quranic verses had been omitted from biology books for the intermediate first year.

``However, in this case, the Sindh Textbook Board has shifted Quranic verses from the book of biology for classes XI-XII to the book of biology for classes IX-X,`` the minister said.

While answering supplementary questions from MMA members, parliamentary secretary Jafar Hussain denied their charge that the government was omitting verses about jihad and Christians and Jews to meet what they called US conditions for helping the country`s education sector.

The walkout was provoked by one of his remarks that questioned the relevance of certain verses to biology.

``I seek apology if their sentiments are injured,`` the information minister said after the MMA members returned to the house following a blistering attack on the president`s policies by PML-N`s Khwaja Asif at the start of the debate on presidential address.

MMA`s Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the minister had assured the protesters that the objectionable remarks by the parliamentary secretary would be expunged from the house proceedings and that his colleagues reserved the right to move a privilege motion on the issue.

Sheikh Rashid said no true Muslim could renounce jihad ``which is a must for Muslims when the time comes``. But he did not say if he had assured the protesters about expunction of the remarks nor did the speaker issued any such order.

Main speech of the day was from PPP stalwart Aitzaz Ahsan, who accused the government of mishandling the nuclear proliferation issue and endangering Pakistan`s nuclear assets, which he said could now fall under a ``dual control`` like a bank locker that would deny Islamabad independence of action.

He said instead of putting the whole responsibility on scientists, the government should have avoided immediate external pressures by referring the issue to an inquiry by three Supreme Court judges.

He also proposed an inquiry into what he called the ``judicial murder`` of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto after one of the former Supreme Court judges who convicted him, Justice Nasim Hasan Shah, admitted in a TV programme that the former prime minister was wrongly hanged and blamed the conviction ruling on alleged annoyance of the judges by main defence lawyer Yahya Bakhtiar.

Mr Ahsan called for cooperation between the treasury and opposition benches to revive supremacy of parliament that, according to him, had been undermined by Gen Musharraf.

This is a brilliant article... because it addresses real issues with our textbooks and not the artificial ones constructed by the Pak-bashers on this website. The world is leaving us behind... we are guilty of not giving our young people a vision for the future ... of progress and success.... and therein lies our greatest failure. We need to inculcate positive values, and create knowledgeable, thinking, self confident, and law abiding citizens of Pakistan and the world.

I think our books should reflect more on local history and national history. I think one of the worst acses of education abuse is making Islamiat and Pakistan studies compulsory at hssc and at a bachelors level. It is a ridiculous sight seeing medical students lose the top position in class in their first professional because another student cheated in Pak studies!

Very good article. The part where students aren`t encouraged to think beyond the obvious was very true. `Thinking` is left for the teachers to inspire- and most could care less.

PS:

WRT #1

What can one say of those who are paranoid beyond belief. A few years ago an Indian friend of mine, a thorough moderate and a gentleman otherwise, was here in Pakistan.... I showed up him the prescribed Longman`s History book for GCE A Level (London) in 20th Century History that I had studied in high school. After looking through the section on partition of India, hardly two paragraphs in a whole book, he dismissed the entire book as Paki-propaganda... and wouldn`t hear anything otherwise.

The irony is that the book was written by an Englishman, was published by Longman, and has been on the prescribed syllabus for GCE A levels world wide. We Pakis are amazing propagandists...

Response no.1 shows us exactly what some people are obsessed with on this website. This article has steered clear from all the Paki-bashing and useless repetition of the same old same old that is discussed by the so called intellectuals on this website. Kudos once again to the writer for bringing out the real issues with our education system and not the ones that seem to win brownie points with our loveable neighbors. To inculcate a spirit of questioning, and a thirst for effective knowledge is what an educational system should do... and that is what we need to be focusing on. I agree with Zakkk`s comment about Islamiat as well...


Agha Khan University is evolving the HSSC system of its own modelled after the British GCE, GCSE, and IGCSE syllabi... this will provide a cheap and quality alternative for Pakistani students ...

-YLH

More articles on quality of education in Pakistan, and how to improve it should be published. This is extremely important. The objective should not be simply to criticise but to point out how the standard of education can be enhanced. There is a great deal needed to be done in the field of science and mathematics education both at shool and university levels. We, in Pakistan, are at least a century, if not more, behind in science education than the western schools. Kids should be encouraged to think creatively right from the beginning. Spoon-fed and uncritical education should be discouraged. Analytical and skeptical attitudes should be nurtured.

This is not an easy task in view of the outdated and sub-standard textbooks which are prescribed at various levels and the outdated teachers who themselves need re-education. Be that as it may. The writers should keep pounding on the facts in which our education is lacking. Let us hope it will make an impression on the policy makers in Pakistan. The important thing is that the writers need not be malicious; they should write in a matter of fact and down to earth manner.

At the same time, emphasis should be placed on making teaching an honorable and worthwhile profession.

Mohammad Gill

The educational system in Pakistan needs to be created towards providing instructions in critical thinking. The present educational system is outmoded and geared towards an apologia for the state`s powers and for creating a citizenship, which is non-questioning and thus, removed from demanding accountability from the state. The eduction and its instructions in Pakistan suffers from an insecurity, which makes it very scared to question the official wisdom. The policy of nationalization of the education in the 1970s, though for noble intentions, created a morass of confusion, because bureaucrats cannot be subsituted for educationalists. Lastly, education in Pakistan became an extension of politics and this situation destroyed any sense of independence, as the nature of instructions was more devoted towards rationalizing a political philosophy and than making it understandable.

Secondly, the topics of Pakistan Studies and Islamiat have done more harm to the cause of education in Pakistan than anything else, because these subjects are politically biased and are generally used to reason a particular form of philosophical intent. Both these subjects do not teach, as much as they justify an agrument for Pakistan. What the ``babus`` in the education ministry do not understand is that Pakistan has evolved dramatically since 1947 and no longer needs a justification for anything. What Pakistan needs is an unbiased review of its national history within the context of its local and regional histories, which frames the issues facing Pakistan in the future and how to resolve them intelligently.

It is time to forget the Two-Nation-Theory and to keep making arguments justifying a demand for Pakistan. The logic of TNT has to be discarded, because Pakistan cannot be further sub-divided into new states and an intellectual synergy has to be created, which seeks the confluence of Pakistan`s regional history with the gambit of its national existence; which compliments the idea of provincial harmony. For that to happen, Pakistan has to trace the origins of its beginings from the pre-Islamic history and consider the factors, which have the shaped the identities of its provincial characters and thus, realize that its common ancestoral antecedents.

P.S.: On a sarcastic note, as a CBM in Indo-Pak ties, only Indians should teach history about Pakistan and only Pakistanis should teach Indian history and this way, there will be a healthy balance and sense of understanding in both nations about each other`s past. lol

Ciao

ferozk

I agree with your points. The issue of partition is over, and TNT should`ve been discarded on day 1... Pakistan is a nation consisting of Sub-national groups in a federation... this requires to be cultivated amongst the youth. However the issue of history is not the only problem with our educational system, and I think Mr. Qureshi has exhibited it quite well.

-YLH

re: Pak`s literacy
Pak`s literacy is abysmal. This is from the NY times:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00D13F63C5E0C728FDDAA0894DA404482

``...barely third of Pakistan`s population is literate, at least 30 million children are not in school and 6 million of 8 million primary-school-age children not in school are girls; education spending is now barely two percent of GNP, compared with 17 percent in Bangladesh and more than 20 percent in Iran and Turkey; 40 percent of Pakistan`s budget goes to pay staggering $38-billion foreign debt...``
India`s record in literacy is abysmal too. but it has improved in the last several years: http://nwapp.emirates.net.ae/pls/std_news/EPLayout2.Article?p_ParentMenu=1007&p_Menu=1007&p_Country_ID=0&p_MenuLevel=2&p_NEWS_ID=28623

``UNICEF recently said there were about 65 million out-of-school girls globally -- and of these, more than half lived in India.``

``India has improved the overall literacy rate from 52 percent in 1991 to65 percent in 2001 and female literacy has increased from 39 to 54 percent during this period.``

``Pakistan achieved 5.5 percent economic growth in2002 - 2003yet two-thirds of Pakistani girls over 10 are unable to read or write compared with 40 percent of boys in the same age group, according to a 2001- 2002government survey.``

A repsonsive governance is important. Army rule and lack of community leaders have seen to it that Pak is not making much headways. Same problems in much of the ``Cowbelt`` in India. Corrupton, lack of responsible local governance (at community level) have resulted in ``Ghost schools`` and lack of educational activity in schools in UP and other BIMARU states. Southern states are doing much better, with Kerala taking the lead.
Among the South Asian countries, Srilanka has the highest literacy rate (more than 90%) and Nepal the lowest (less than 30%).
Despite being a democrazy, India has not seen much increase in literacy in the last 50 years. Recently, a bill was passed making Primary education a fundamental right but the onus is on the parents to enforce the law. This is a joke since most poor parents would not have the means to go to court to get their children educated.
Kerala model may be worth emulating. 100% literacy was achieved by making it a people`s movement. NGOs need to be involved. It is shameful that much of South Asia is mired in poverty and illitereacy.
Sridhar

Omar, you have picked up a good cause. My personal Thanks.

Both our politicians & Generals have been regularly compromising with the Mulla for the sake of their Chair. Getting our Text books factual & confining Islam to only Islamiat was too minor an issue for them to get the Mulla annoyed.

Bhutto, Zia, Musharraf are all to blame. And it was Nawaz Shreef who made Death compulsory for Blasphemy offence. Even Banazir keeps trying to keep her Dupatta on her head and keep rollong the beads of her rosary. (nothing wrong with it except that the intent appears to be politicle based)

The only Pakistani political leader who has the courage to take an open stand against the Mulla, without the ifs and butts, is Altaf Hussain of the MQM - and he regularly does it.

He is followed by the stance of the nationalist parties of Frontier, Sind & Baluchistan. PPP is next.

Please do not expect the Army or PML to do anything concrete on this issue.

My apologies for borrowing your board


DIL FUNDRAISER IN SAN FRANCISCO SET FOR MARCH 27


What could possibly be THE gathering of the year for the Pakistani community in Northern California is scheduled for March 27, 2004 when Developments In Literacy (affectionately known as The DIL Organization) brings its caravan of hope to the Argent Hotel in San Francisco at 50 Third Street with a reception slated for 6:30 pm followed by dinner and entertainment beginning at 7:30.
Headed locally by Sara Abbasi and her team of dedicated ladies who do our country of origin proud, it is organizations like DIL which have spearheaded the cause of fighting illiteracy in Pakistan with resources gathered from the overseas Pakistani community and their friends. And it is for this reason that this coming event should once again bring together the “Who’s who” from within Pakistanis and Pakistani-Americans. Illiteracy and ignorance is a sure path to a life of poverty in Pakistan or for that matter anywhere. The Abbasis (Sohaib and Sara) have already done more than their share towards spreading the spread of knowledge about Islam here in the US by recently funding/initiating an Islamic Studies Chair at Stanford University. Now Sara and her group of friends are back to helping people in Pakistan.
In 2001 Sara Abbasi had this to say about her first effort; “Just as importantly, DIL is working to break the ingrained social taboos that discourage female literacy. This indeed is the noblest of causes. In the words of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him),
“the mother’s lap is the first school”. Only through such efforts will the next generation of Pakistanis improve, not just their own lives but the entire community around them”, said Mrs. Abbasi.
During the 2002 program it was mentioned that DIL is currently operating in Orangi (outside Karachi), Khairpur (Sindh), Dir (NWFP) and Mianwali (Punjab). There is also the hope that a new project in Baluchistan will be in full operation soon. Currently 200 schools are being operated by DIL with over 8000 children enrolled. What DIL is trying to do is change despair to hope and to bring a confident smile to the faces of young children and wipe away their tears that the embarrassment of illiteracy brings to their lives.
Tickets to the event are not cheap ($100 to $150) but the cause is more than worthy. So if you would like to attend or assist in any way please call (650) 323-6080 or (510) 651-3088. Please do not miss this opportunity to help some very poor in Pakistan get access to education. Corporate Sponsorship is available for $2000 & Patron Tables for $1500 (call for additional details). Please send your checks to 38 Monte Vista Avenue Atherton CA 94027.

You can also contact DIL San Francisco via email at dil_sf@yahoo.com

ferozk -- your suggestion on indians teaching in pakistan and vice versa is well repeating -- perhaps if you are interested and if you email it to me directly, with your full name and contact address and number, it can appear in Dawn`s letters section -- Omar R. Quraishi

i hope the editors allow this to be posted -- this would be the relevant -- dawn is taking out a 20 page supplement in the first week of april on education -- it will be distributed nationally and should appear on the website as well as at an education expo on april 3 (to be held at Karachi`s Expo Centre). Anyone interested in contributing to it can contact us at education@dawn.com or at omarq@cyber.net.pk. -- Thanks -- Omar R. Quraishi

The message is clear: Leave the curriculum alone or else.....

Another issue is the lack of promotion of regional languages...UNESCO studies have shown that children learn faster when taught in their Mother tongue..