Education System In Pakistan

This handbook is an important reference work in understanding education systems in the South Asia region, their development trajectory, challenges and potential. The handbook includes the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries for discussion---Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka---while also considering countries such as Myanmar and the Maldives that have considerable shared history in the region. Such a comparative perspective is largely absent within the literature given the present paucity of intra-regional interaction. South Asian education systems are viewed primarily through a development lens in terms of inequalities, challenges and responses. However, the development of modern institutions of education and the challenges that it faces requires cultural and historical understanding of indigenous traditions as well as indigenous modern thinkers and education movements. Therefore, this encompassing referenc e work covers indigenous education traditions, formal education systems, including school and preschool education, higher and professional education, education financing systems and structures, teacher education systems, addressing huge linguistic and other diversities, and marginalization within the formal education system, and pedagogy and curricula. All the countries in this region have their own unique geographical, cultural, economic and political character and histories of interest and significance, and have responded to common issues such as overcoming the colonial legacy, language diversity, or girls’ education, or minority rights in education, in uniquely different ways. The sections therefore include country-specific perspectives as far as possible to highlight these issues. Internationally renowned specialists of South Asian education systems have contributed to this important reference work, making it an invaluable resource for researchers and students of education interested in South Asia.

Afghanistan is one of many South Asian countries appearing in daily headlines, as it attempts to rebuild its society, including its educational system, after decades of war. Sri Lanka, devastated by the tsunami of 2004, and parts of Pakistan and Northern India, coping with the aftereffects of a major earthquake, are also also struggling for teachers, classrooms, supplies, and a sense of normalcy for their students. This volume, part of the Schooling Around the World series, provides readers with a history and survey of education in eight of the region's countries. It examines the Primary, Secondary, and Postsecondary levels of education, identifying the types of education available (public, private, tutoring, etc), any race, gender or social class issues that impact education, and major reforms taking place. Readers will find discussions of curriculum and teaching methods most helpful, as well as a special day in the life feature, which gives a personal look at what it's like for students attending school in that country today.

Washington seems to be in a season of worrying--some might say "obsessing"--About the education system in Pakistan. The 9/11 Commission, whose final report has become a fixture on the bestseller lists, has highlighted the links between international terrorism and Pakistan's religious seminaries, or "madaris", and recommended that the United States support Pakistani efforts to improve the quality of the education it offers its young. The The American government, with the U.S. Agency for International Development as the lead agency, plans to spend tens of millions of dollars this year alone on primary education and literacy programs in Pakistan. The international donor community has been active on this front for decades, but has significantly expanded its activities in recent years. But most of all, Pakistanis themselves have raised the alarm and encouraged this newfound interest in their schools. This volume explores an issue that Pakistanis themselves have identified as vital to their national well-being. Essays include: (1) Educating the Pakistani Masses (Shahid Javed Burki); (2) Education, Employment and Economic Development in Pakistan (Ishrat Husain); (3) Challenges in the Education Sector in Pakistan (Salman Shah); (4) Reform in Higher Education in Pakistan (Grace Clark); (5) Against the Tide: Role of The Citizens Foundation in Pakistani Education (Ahsan Saleem); (6) Reasons for Rage: Reflections on the Education System of Pakistan with Special Reference to English (Tariq Rahman); (7) Education Sector Reforms in Pakistan: Demand Generation as an Alternative Recipe (Jonathan Mitchell, Salman Humayun, and Irfan Muzaffar); (8) Report for Congress on Education Reform in Pakistan; (9) Education in Pakistan and the World Bank's Program (Michelle Riboud); (10) The Punjab Education Sector Reform Program 2003-2006; (11) Pakistan's Recent Experience in Reforming Islamic Education (Christopher Candland); and (12) Pakistan: Reforming the Education Sector. An introduction by Robert M. Hathaway is included. Individual papers contain tables, charts, notes and references.

Schools are places where culture is transmitted to the new generation. Culture is produced, reproduced and transformed in the process. Therefore, societies pay close attention to schooling experiences of their future generations. In Pakistani schools teaching and learning processes have long been criticized for their poor quality. This book presents research based evidence of 'good practice' in teaching and teacher education which on the one hand challenges the state of despair by offering a ray of hope in improving the quality of school education in Pakistan. On the other hand, these critical accounts of innovative practices, grounded in the reality of schools and classrooms in varied contexts, invite the readers to think about contexts and conditions that may need to be established for scaling up these and similar kind of reform efforts for improving teaching and teacher education practices for school improvement in Pakistan and similar settings elsewhere.

Analysis of past developments in teacher education in Pakistan has shown that substantial progress has been made in this field. It has, however, been pointed out that education of science teachers still needs much improvement. At the present, there is an emergent need to meet the shortage of qualified science teachers and at the same time to bring qualitative improvements in the courses offered in teacher education institutions. First, we recommend that the 1-year duration of teacher preparation is grossly inadequate for all teaching courses, and should be lengthened, and the qualifications for entrance be increased. We believe that teaching must be made a graduate profession. For example, the basic qualification of primary school teachers for admission to teacher education institution should be increased. We recommend that PTC should be made a 12 + 2 year program. Similarly, CT, 12 + 3; B. Ed. , 14 + 2; B. S. Ed. , 12 + 4; M. A. Ed. , 14 + 3; and M. Ed. one year after B. Ed. or B. S. Ed. Secondly, we think the quality of instruction in teacher preparation programs should be improved. Most teachers in the teacher preparation institutions use the lecture method most of the time. Prospective teachers behave like passive listeners to their teachers. They do not participate in the teaching/ learning process. Some instructors even dictate their notes to the preservice teachers. When the teachers join schools, they behave the same way.