Education Policy Analysis
Topic: Critical Review of Primary Education in Education Policies
• Prepared By: Shakeel Ahmad
• M.Phil: 1st Semester
• Reg.No: 4826
• Submitted To: Dr. Hanifullah
• Abasyn University Peshawar
Objectives
• To review the policies recommendations for primary education.
• To have critical analysis of these recommendations
• To suggest some recommendations for primary education policy
• To study the effect of these policies on our education system especially on primary education
• To check the will of the then prevailing Government in the in primary education
Introduction
Primary education is at the centre and heart of a State’s obligations to its citizens in the field of education. This is the stage when a child is prepared for life and in him/her are developed attitudes and approaches that determine the future realization of his/her potentials and his/her contributions to his own life and the individual’s role in social and nation building. Every policy articulation begins with the emphasis on the State’s commitment to providing the children of that country with free compulsory primary and middle schooling of acceptable standards. But more often political will is needed in the implementation of the targets that the State sets for itself.
List of the conferences, commissions and policies
All Pakistan Educational Conference
1947
Commission on national education
1959
National educational policy
1972-80
National educational policy
1979
National educational policy
1992
National educational policy
1998-2010
PAKISTAN EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE 1947
• Free and compulsory primary education in 5 years.
• Co-education at primary schools.
• Compulsory and free education up to – Class VIII.
• Proper training and adequate salaries of teachers.
• Train female teacher for primary level.
• Funding to be raised by Provincial governments.
COMMISSION NATIONAL EDUCATION - 1959
• 5 years of compulsory education in 10 years; and 8 years of schooling in 15 years.
• To make a child functionally literate.
• To develop balance personality.
• Curriculum must be relevant to abilities and situation.
• Teaching methods must be activity based.
• Religious education must be compulsory.
• Female teachers especially at class three.
• Teachers should be paid enough salaries.
• 200 working days per annum.
• Refresher courses must be arranged.
• Local bodies to manage all primary education.
EDUCATION POLICY – 1970
• The policy recognized the rising the level of illiteracy in the country. Proposed 7 years of compulsory education and compulsory school attendance till the age of 10 years.
• Universal enrollment up to class V by 1980 and provide full facilities for students in Class VI-VIII by that year.
• Making school atmospheres attractive to eliminate dropouts.
• Functional education at elementary level.
• Elementary School (Class I-VIII) and High Schools (Class IX-X). These schools should have a governing body of 3-5 members.
• Urdu should be compulsory from Class VI-X and English should be taught as an optional subject.
• Proposed the creation of a district school authority in each district.
Education Policy 1972-80
• Education would be free and universal up to class X in phased manner.
• Primary education up to class V would become universal for boys by 1982 and for girls by 1984 and up to class VIII for boys by 1982 and for girls by 1987.
• In the first phase, from 1st October 1972, education up to class VIII would be made free. In the second phase, from 1st October 1974, free education would be extended to classes IX—X in all schools.
• To accommodate the increase enrollment 3800 additional class rooms for primary classes would be constructed and about 2300 additional class rooms would be constructed for pupils in class VI—VIII.
• Facilities would be provide to rural and backward areas and to the female’s education.
• Curriculum revision committee of chairman of Boards created.
• Proportion of women teachers at primary level were to be increased.
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY -1979
• The policy launched a frontal attack on ‘Westernized & colonial’ model of education, attributing Deterioration of both Islamic cultural values & quality of education. Therefore laid emphasis on Mosque & Mohala schools, called for using village mosques between Fajir & Zuhar as primary school.
• Islamization of Knowledge, Islamiyat Compulsory.
• Establishment of Curriculum & Textbooks Revision.
• Encouragement of Private Sector Education.
• Three Tier Educational System. Elementary, secondary and university.
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY -1992
• The policy noted that despite promises and calls for universal primary education, the ground reality remained dismal. It pointed out that national drop out rate at primary level stood around 50%.
• It promised eradication of illiteracy by 2002.
• Like 1979 policy focused on teacher training and proposed revision of salary structure of primary school teachers & Mosque Imams.
• Taking cue from 1969 & 1972 policies proposed the formation of Directorates of Primary Education & School Management Committees at village level.
• Setting up of new model schools (male and female) in rural areas.
Education policy 1998-2010
• About 90% of the children in the age group (5-9) will be enrolled in schools by year 2002-03.
• Gross enrolment ratio at primary level will be increased to 105% by year 2010
• Compulsory Primary Education Act will be promulgated and enforced in a phased manner.
• Full utilization of existing capacity by introduction of double shift in existing school of basics education.
• Quality of primary education will be improved through revising curricula, imparting in-service training to the teachers, raising entry qualifications for teachers from matriculation to intermediate, revising teacher training curricula, improving management and supervision system and reforming the existing examination and assessment system.
• Increasing participation rate from 46% to 65% by 2002-3 and 85% 2010 at middle level.
• At the elementary level, a system of continuous evaluation will be adopted to ensure attainment of maximum learning competencies for improving quality of education.
• Expanding the role of National Education Testing Service (NETS)
Education policy 2009
• Focus on elementary education
• Raising the quality education
• Universal and Free Primary and Secondary Education
• Encourage Private sector
• Bridging the Public Private Divide
• Improved Examination System
• Introduction of Early Childhood Education (3-5 years) & inclusive education.
• All Primary schools shall be upgraded to Middle level
• Well developed plan for expanding school facilities.
• High priority to reducing drop out rates
• Improved school environment
• Islamiat’ as an integrated subject in Classes I-II. Full-fledged subject from Classes III to XII. ‘Ethics’ for non-Muslims.
• Free education and textbooks up to secondary level.
• To promote girls' education, future primary schools to be co-education with female teachers only.
Analysis
1. Since 1947, and throughout each of the policy interventions, great emphasis has been laid on provision of compulsory primary and middle schooling and ultimately free and universal education up to Class-X for all children in the country. Targets of numbers and dates have been variously set but investment and implementation have lagged far behind.
2. We have now come to a pass where the State must pause to realize the fundamentality of school education to any subsequent fostering of full realization of potentials, developing responsible citizenship, producing a highly skilled work force and realizing the objective of knowledge based economy. All these wonderful objectives will be no more than a slogan if appropriate investment is not made in education. We need to make investment both in the physical infrastructure and in the intellectual assets required for every school, including both qualified and motivated teachers and teaching aids and environment of the highest standards possible.
3. Merely to restate a target of providing quality public education at the primary and middle level, without satisfactory arrangements of identified and committed resources needed for these goals and a well considered strategy and a time line implementation plan, will not allow the State to achieve these targets in a realistic period of time.
4. The challenges of enrolment, dropouts and the poor quality of products in publicly funded schools are not insurmountable and are merely management issues if the political will translates into an achievable agenda and the policy goals are determined only with the prior commitment of the providers of financial resources. The lack of political will needed to particularly address the issues of ghost schools, visa teachers, remote location of girl schools from population clusters and politically motivated corruption in recruitment and training of teachers is an issue identified by all stakeholders. The answers are well known.
Policy Recommendations
1. The physical environment of schools, however minimally that it can be guaranteed, will need to be ensured irrespective of the location of the schools.
2. Segmented interventions must give way to holistic implementation plans. Wherever possible, particularly in the rural areas, primary schools which may be efficiently co-educational, should be, over-time, upgraded to middle schools. This will particularly solve the problem of physical proximity.
3. The number of new schools needed with emphasis on proximity and transportation needs is quite easy to identify. The new schools should be opened on need basis and not for political reasons which is often times the Education in Pakistan main determinant. All primary schools, wherever possible, should be upgraded to middle level with all necessary facilities.
4. Mandatory feasibility studies by local governments, based on government criteria, should precede establishment of schools.
5. Free land, where possible, may be provided by the State to private entrepreneurs for establishing schools but with the obligation of keeping the fee structure and the intellectual assets under regulation.
6. Quality of instruction, which will include quality of teachers and teaching material including textbooks, should be at the centre of investment in recurrent expenditure. Separately in this document we have recommended minimum pay scales for publicly funded school systems and raising the minimum educational qualifications, over an identified and realistic time frame.
7. Primary education official age group be redefined as 6-10 years.
8. The issue of dropouts has to be seriously addressed and the State must plan to provide a real free education when we must add to tuition, free textbooks, and free uniforms to needy and meals, particularly to girl students. In addition, stipends to deserving pupils of lower income households may be instituted with the help of civil society organizations and donors to address the issue of opportunity cost of sending a child to school.
9. Free and compulsory education up to Class-VIII should be achieved in no more than the next three years and the provincial and local governments must prepare strategy and plans to achieve these objectives. Necessary legislative and administrative measures are taken to ensure achievement of this objective. The fiscal space currently available in the economy must be canalized more to education than to other projects of immediate political harvest.
Conclusion
• All these policies show that these policies were good enough in papers but in reality there was a lack of Government wills political instability, lack of funds and lack of proper implementer to convert it in practical shape.
References
The crisis of Education in Pakistan state policies and textbooks by: Musa Khan Jalazai
National Education Policy Review. Islamabad: Ministry of Education, 1959.
National Education Policy Review. Islamabad: Ministry of Education, 1972.
National Education Policy Review. Islamabad: Ministry of Education, 1998.
http://viewstonews.com/index.php/pakistan-national-education-policy-1998-2010/general-information
http://www.moe.gov.pk/edupolicy.htm
Thank you
Topic: Critical Review of Primary Education in Education Policies
• Prepared By: Shakeel Ahmad
• M.Phil: 1st Semester
• Reg.No: 4826
• Submitted To: Dr. Hanifullah
• Abasyn University Peshawar
Objectives
• To review the policies recommendations for primary education.
• To have critical analysis of these recommendations
• To suggest some recommendations for primary education policy
• To study the effect of these policies on our education system especially on primary education
• To check the will of the then prevailing Government in the in primary education
Introduction
Primary education is at the centre and heart of a State’s obligations to its citizens in the field of education. This is the stage when a child is prepared for life and in him/her are developed attitudes and approaches that determine the future realization of his/her potentials and his/her contributions to his own life and the individual’s role in social and nation building. Every policy articulation begins with the emphasis on the State’s commitment to providing the children of that country with free compulsory primary and middle schooling of acceptable standards. But more often political will is needed in the implementation of the targets that the State sets for itself.
List of the conferences, commissions and policies
All Pakistan Educational Conference
1947
Commission on national education
1959
National educational policy
1972-80
National educational policy
1979
National educational policy
1992
National educational policy
1998-2010
PAKISTAN EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE 1947
• Free and compulsory primary education in 5 years.
• Co-education at primary schools.
• Compulsory and free education up to – Class VIII.
• Proper training and adequate salaries of teachers.
• Train female teacher for primary level.
• Funding to be raised by Provincial governments.
COMMISSION NATIONAL EDUCATION - 1959
• 5 years of compulsory education in 10 years; and 8 years of schooling in 15 years.
• To make a child functionally literate.
• To develop balance personality.
• Curriculum must be relevant to abilities and situation.
• Teaching methods must be activity based.
• Religious education must be compulsory.
• Female teachers especially at class three.
• Teachers should be paid enough salaries.
• 200 working days per annum.
• Refresher courses must be arranged.
• Local bodies to manage all primary education.
EDUCATION POLICY – 1970
• The policy recognized the rising the level of illiteracy in the country. Proposed 7 years of compulsory education and compulsory school attendance till the age of 10 years.
• Universal enrollment up to class V by 1980 and provide full facilities for students in Class VI-VIII by that year.
• Making school atmospheres attractive to eliminate dropouts.
• Functional education at elementary level.
• Elementary School (Class I-VIII) and High Schools (Class IX-X). These schools should have a governing body of 3-5 members.
• Urdu should be compulsory from Class VI-X and English should be taught as an optional subject.
• Proposed the creation of a district school authority in each district.
Education Policy 1972-80
• Education would be free and universal up to class X in phased manner.
• Primary education up to class V would become universal for boys by 1982 and for girls by 1984 and up to class VIII for boys by 1982 and for girls by 1987.
• In the first phase, from 1st October 1972, education up to class VIII would be made free. In the second phase, from 1st October 1974, free education would be extended to classes IX—X in all schools.
• To accommodate the increase enrollment 3800 additional class rooms for primary classes would be constructed and about 2300 additional class rooms would be constructed for pupils in class VI—VIII.
• Facilities would be provide to rural and backward areas and to the female’s education.
• Curriculum revision committee of chairman of Boards created.
• Proportion of women teachers at primary level were to be increased.
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY -1979
• The policy launched a frontal attack on ‘Westernized & colonial’ model of education, attributing Deterioration of both Islamic cultural values & quality of education. Therefore laid emphasis on Mosque & Mohala schools, called for using village mosques between Fajir & Zuhar as primary school.
• Islamization of Knowledge, Islamiyat Compulsory.
• Establishment of Curriculum & Textbooks Revision.
• Encouragement of Private Sector Education.
• Three Tier Educational System. Elementary, secondary and university.
NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY -1992
• The policy noted that despite promises and calls for universal primary education, the ground reality remained dismal. It pointed out that national drop out rate at primary level stood around 50%.
• It promised eradication of illiteracy by 2002.
• Like 1979 policy focused on teacher training and proposed revision of salary structure of primary school teachers & Mosque Imams.
• Taking cue from 1969 & 1972 policies proposed the formation of Directorates of Primary Education & School Management Committees at village level.
• Setting up of new model schools (male and female) in rural areas.
Education policy 1998-2010
• About 90% of the children in the age group (5-9) will be enrolled in schools by year 2002-03.
• Gross enrolment ratio at primary level will be increased to 105% by year 2010
• Compulsory Primary Education Act will be promulgated and enforced in a phased manner.
• Full utilization of existing capacity by introduction of double shift in existing school of basics education.
• Quality of primary education will be improved through revising curricula, imparting in-service training to the teachers, raising entry qualifications for teachers from matriculation to intermediate, revising teacher training curricula, improving management and supervision system and reforming the existing examination and assessment system.
• Increasing participation rate from 46% to 65% by 2002-3 and 85% 2010 at middle level.
• At the elementary level, a system of continuous evaluation will be adopted to ensure attainment of maximum learning competencies for improving quality of education.
• Expanding the role of National Education Testing Service (NETS)
Education policy 2009
• Focus on elementary education
• Raising the quality education
• Universal and Free Primary and Secondary Education
• Encourage Private sector
• Bridging the Public Private Divide
• Improved Examination System
• Introduction of Early Childhood Education (3-5 years) & inclusive education.
• All Primary schools shall be upgraded to Middle level
• Well developed plan for expanding school facilities.
• High priority to reducing drop out rates
• Improved school environment
• Islamiat’ as an integrated subject in Classes I-II. Full-fledged subject from Classes III to XII. ‘Ethics’ for non-Muslims.
• Free education and textbooks up to secondary level.
• To promote girls' education, future primary schools to be co-education with female teachers only.
Analysis
1. Since 1947, and throughout each of the policy interventions, great emphasis has been laid on provision of compulsory primary and middle schooling and ultimately free and universal education up to Class-X for all children in the country. Targets of numbers and dates have been variously set but investment and implementation have lagged far behind.
2. We have now come to a pass where the State must pause to realize the fundamentality of school education to any subsequent fostering of full realization of potentials, developing responsible citizenship, producing a highly skilled work force and realizing the objective of knowledge based economy. All these wonderful objectives will be no more than a slogan if appropriate investment is not made in education. We need to make investment both in the physical infrastructure and in the intellectual assets required for every school, including both qualified and motivated teachers and teaching aids and environment of the highest standards possible.
3. Merely to restate a target of providing quality public education at the primary and middle level, without satisfactory arrangements of identified and committed resources needed for these goals and a well considered strategy and a time line implementation plan, will not allow the State to achieve these targets in a realistic period of time.
4. The challenges of enrolment, dropouts and the poor quality of products in publicly funded schools are not insurmountable and are merely management issues if the political will translates into an achievable agenda and the policy goals are determined only with the prior commitment of the providers of financial resources. The lack of political will needed to particularly address the issues of ghost schools, visa teachers, remote location of girl schools from population clusters and politically motivated corruption in recruitment and training of teachers is an issue identified by all stakeholders. The answers are well known.
Policy Recommendations
1. The physical environment of schools, however minimally that it can be guaranteed, will need to be ensured irrespective of the location of the schools.
2. Segmented interventions must give way to holistic implementation plans. Wherever possible, particularly in the rural areas, primary schools which may be efficiently co-educational, should be, over-time, upgraded to middle schools. This will particularly solve the problem of physical proximity.
3. The number of new schools needed with emphasis on proximity and transportation needs is quite easy to identify. The new schools should be opened on need basis and not for political reasons which is often times the Education in Pakistan main determinant. All primary schools, wherever possible, should be upgraded to middle level with all necessary facilities.
4. Mandatory feasibility studies by local governments, based on government criteria, should precede establishment of schools.
5. Free land, where possible, may be provided by the State to private entrepreneurs for establishing schools but with the obligation of keeping the fee structure and the intellectual assets under regulation.
6. Quality of instruction, which will include quality of teachers and teaching material including textbooks, should be at the centre of investment in recurrent expenditure. Separately in this document we have recommended minimum pay scales for publicly funded school systems and raising the minimum educational qualifications, over an identified and realistic time frame.
7. Primary education official age group be redefined as 6-10 years.
8. The issue of dropouts has to be seriously addressed and the State must plan to provide a real free education when we must add to tuition, free textbooks, and free uniforms to needy and meals, particularly to girl students. In addition, stipends to deserving pupils of lower income households may be instituted with the help of civil society organizations and donors to address the issue of opportunity cost of sending a child to school.
9. Free and compulsory education up to Class-VIII should be achieved in no more than the next three years and the provincial and local governments must prepare strategy and plans to achieve these objectives. Necessary legislative and administrative measures are taken to ensure achievement of this objective. The fiscal space currently available in the economy must be canalized more to education than to other projects of immediate political harvest.
Conclusion
• All these policies show that these policies were good enough in papers but in reality there was a lack of Government wills political instability, lack of funds and lack of proper implementer to convert it in practical shape.
References
The crisis of Education in Pakistan state policies and textbooks by: Musa Khan Jalazai
National Education Policy Review. Islamabad: Ministry of Education, 1959.
National Education Policy Review. Islamabad: Ministry of Education, 1972.
National Education Policy Review. Islamabad: Ministry of Education, 1998.
http://viewstonews.com/index.php/pakistan-national-education-policy-1998-2010/general-information
http://www.moe.gov.pk/edupolicy.htm
Thank you