What is the process of curriculum development at secondary level in Pakistan?

Answer 1

THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN PAKISTAN AT ALL LEVELS

REFORM

It may be noted that the process of curriculum reform in Pakistan has been introduced as part of the successive series of national education policies.

Education policy and curriculum reform cycle The following six-phase strategy has been adopted for implementing curriculum change:

1. Evolution of curriculum objectives (by level);

2. Development of scheme of studies (by level);

3. Development of syllabus of each subjects;

4. Development of textbooks/instructional materials;

5. Review/approval of textual material;

6. Teacher training.

DEVELOPING OBJECTIVES

Curriculum objectives are basically derived from the recommendations of National Education Policy, national level seminars and other forums (e.g. forums of the Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) and research studies conducted at provincial curriculum centres). The NBCT prepares the draft of objectives; which are widely circulated among the provincial institutions responsible for curriculum development, teacher training and examination. Based on their views/comments, these objectives are finalized. They are subsequently translated into the specific teaching objectives for various subjects. Several factors are considered in finalizing curriculum objectives; including the requirements that objectives should:

(a) be precise

(b) assist in the selection of teaching strategy

(c) produce (or contribute to) a designated behaviour pattern;

(d) enable the teachers to measure or evaluate the quality and effectiveness of learning.

THE STUDIES SCHEME

The scheme of studies is based on three key factors:

1. the national education policy

2. market demand

3. global issues that relate to new or contemporary education dimensions.

Task work in this area is undertaken with active participation of the provincial government, research organizations and experts; as well as feedback from the IBCC.

DEVELOPMENT OF SYLLABI

Based on the objectives and scheme of studies, subject specific syllabi are prepared in consultation with: provincial curriculum centres; subject experts; and psychologists and serving teachers. Collectively, they ensure that the syllabi, in all respects, satisfy the following conditions:

1. They are based on the needs of the learner/child;

2. They take into account the existing knowledge and environmental experience of the learner;

3. The developmental level of the learner is considered in the cognitive, effectiveness and psycho-motor domains;

4. The contents should be focused on attaining the objective(s).

TEXTBOOK DEVELOPMENT

Provincial Textbook Boards (PTBB) are responsible for development of text-books according to the approved syllabi. Established lists of textbook writers in various subjects are kept. From these lists, invitations are issued to writers to submit draft materials within the prescribed syllabus parameters. Selections are made on the basis of the quality and relevance of materials submitted to local situations. Finally, the selected materials are transformed into textbooks; the final versions of which are sent to the NBCT for approval.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL

A National Review Committee, comprising five or six members includes:

1. at least one expert from the Syllabus Formulation Committee; two subject experts

2. two schoolteachers (one teaching the relevant material and one from a teacher-training institute). On receipt of textual materials from PTBB, this committee conducts textbook reviews based on the following parameters:

(a) the book truly reflects the curriculum

(b) it meets the objectives stated in the curriculum

(c) the book does not contain any material repugnant to Islamic and Pakistani ideology.

In the case of approval, the textbook is sent back for publishing and distribution. In case of objection, the specific complaints are relayed along with revision recommendations.

NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY CURRICULUM REFORM CYCLE

1972 1st Cycle, 1973-76

1979 2nd Cycle, 1982-85

1992 3rd Cycle, 1992-95

1998 4th Cycle, 1998-01

TEACHER TRAINING

Teacher training for curriculum implementation is the exclusive responsibility of the provincial government. However, it is now being stressed that each textbook must have a teacher's guide-also approved by the NBCT. In some cases, assistance in the training of master trainers is provided to provincial governments.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PITFALLS

Several major obstacles affecting the quality and effectiveness of the curriculum development process in Pakistan are summarized below.

EXPERTISE

Some serving teachers are, of course, involved in curriculum development. But notwithstanding their outstanding subject area expertise, their contribution to the curriculum development is, for all practical purposes, nominal. The main reason for this is that they lack the requisite expertise. The existing training programmes provide little exposure in this area, and the teachers' academic qualifications do not necessarily contribute to curricular creativity. Therefore, at best, the teachers are able to provide opinions about the compatibility between specific concepts or content and the intellectual development level of the children in a specific age group or grade. However, this guidance often reflects, in part, a particular situation with which the teachers have been dealing (e.g. children from a rural background) and, in part, their own capability to render a specific concept comprehensible.

TEXTBOOK QUALITY

Textbooks often do not reflect the curriculum. Of course, it requires considerable experience and skill to:

1. translate the curriculum in a style that covers the objectives

2. simultaneously take into consideration the children's language proficiency and background knowledge and

3. concurrently arrange the content in a logical sequence in a stimulating manner.

But the all-important self-assessment questions or activities (especially questions focused on higher order skills) are invariably missing.

IMPLEMENTATION AND FOLLOW-UP

The third problem is that there is lack of follow-up of actual curriculum implementation in classroom practice. The curriculum actually implemented is generally different from the official curriculum document. The classroom teacher, who primarily focuses on the textbooks and assessment, does not take into account the educational objectives. No evaluation of the implemented curriculum is carried out; hence no feedback is received to revise the curriculum. In short, each of the steps in the curriculum development process, as outlined above, tends to occur in isolation from the others and there is no visible coherent curriculum development activity.

Answer 2

THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN PAKISTAN

REFORM

It may be noted that the process of curriculum reform in Pakistan has been introduced as part of the successive series of national education policies.

Education policy and curriculum reform cycle The following six-phase strategy has been adopted for implementing curriculum change:

1. Evolution of curriculum objectives (by level);

2. Development of scheme of studies (by level);

3. Development of syllabus of each subjects;

4. Development of textbooks/instructional materials;

5. Review/approval of textual material;

6. Teacher training.

DEVELOPING OBJECTIVES

Curriculum objectives are basically derived from the recommendations of National Education Policy, national level seminars and other forums (e.g. forums of the Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) and research studies conducted at provincial curriculum centres). The NBCT prepares the draft of objectives; which are widely circulated among the provincial institutions responsible for curriculum development, teacher training and examination. Based on their views/comments, these objectives are finalized. They are subsequently translated into the specific teaching objectives for various subjects. Several factors are considered in finalizing curriculum objectives; including the requirements that objectives should:

(a) be precise

(b) assist in the selection of teaching strategy

(c) produce (or contribute to) a designated behaviour pattern;

(d) enable the teachers to measure or evaluate the quality and effectiveness of learning.

THE STUDIES SCHEME

The scheme of studies is based on three key factors:

1. the national education policy

2. market demand

3. global issues that relate to new or contemporary education dimensions.

Task work in this area is undertaken with active participation of the provincial government, research organizations and experts; as well as feedback from the IBCC.

DEVELOPMENT OF SYLLABI

Based on the objectives and scheme of studies, subject specific syllabi are prepared in consultation with: provincial curriculum centres; subject experts; and psychologists and serving teachers. Collectively, they ensure that the syllabi, in all respects, satisfy the following conditions:

1. They are based on the needs of the learner/child;

2. They take into account the existing knowledge and environmental experience of the learner;

3. The developmental level of the learner is considered in the cognitive, effectiveness and psycho-motor domains;

4. The contents should be focused on attaining the objective(s).

TEXTBOOK DEVELOPMENT

Provincial Textbook Boards (PTBB) are responsible for development of text-books according to the approved syllabi. Established lists of textbook writers in various subjects are kept. From these lists, invitations are issued to writers to submit draft materials within the prescribed syllabus parameters. Selections are made on the basis of the quality and relevance of materials submitted to local situations. Finally, the selected materials are transformed into textbooks; the final versions of which are sent to the NBCT for approval.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL

A National Review Committee, comprising five or six members includes:

1. at least one expert from the Syllabus Formulation Committee; two subject experts

2. two schoolteachers (one teaching the relevant material and one from a teacher-training institute). On receipt of textual materials from PTBB, this committee conducts textbook reviews based on the following parameters:

(a) the book truly reflects the curriculum

(b) it meets the objectives stated in the curriculum

(c) the book does not contain any material repugnant to Islamic and Pakistani ideology.

In the case of approval, the textbook is sent back for publishing and distribution. In case of objection, the specific complaints are relayed along with revision recommendations.

NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY CURRICULUM REFORM CYCLE

1972 1st Cycle, 1973-76

1979 2nd Cycle, 1982-85

1992 3rd Cycle, 1992-95

1998 4th Cycle, 1998-01

TEACHER TRAINING

Teacher training for curriculum implementation is the exclusive responsibility of the provincial government. However, it is now being stressed that each textbook must have a teacher's guide-also approved by the NBCT. In some cases, assistance in the training of master trainers is provided to provincial governments.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT PITFALLS

Several major obstacles affecting the quality and effectiveness of the curriculum development process in Pakistan are summarized below.

EXPERTISE

Some serving teachers are, of course, involved in curriculum development. But notwithstanding their outstanding subject area expertise, their contribution to the curriculum development is, for all practical purposes, nominal. The main reason for this is that they lack the requisite expertise. The existing training programmes provide little exposure in this area, and the teachers' academic qualifications do not necessarily contribute to curricular creativity. Therefore, at best, the teachers are able to provide opinions about the compatibility between specific concepts or content and the intellectual development level of the children in a specific age group or grade. However, this guidance often reflects, in part, a particular situation with which the teachers have been dealing (e.g. children from a rural background) and, in part, their own capability to render a specific concept comprehensible.

TEXTBOOK QUALITY

Textbooks often do not reflect the curriculum. Of course, it requires considerable experience and skill to:

1. translate the curriculum in a style that covers the objectives

2. simultaneously take into consideration the children's language proficiency and background knowledge and

3. concurrently arrange the content in a logical sequence in a stimulating manner.

But the all-important self-assessment questions or activities (especially questions focused on higher order skills) are invariably missing.

IMPLEMENTATION AND FOLLOW-UP

The third problem is that there is lack of follow-up of actual curriculum implementation in classroom practice. The curriculum actually implemented is generally different from the official curriculum document. The classroom teacher, who primarily focuses on the textbooks and assessment, does not take into account the educational objectives. No evaluation of the implemented curriculum is carried out; hence no feedback is received to revise the curriculum. In short, each of the steps in the curriculum development process, as outlined above, tends to occur in isolation from the others and there is no visible coherent curriculum development activity. (ARTICLE IS TAKEN FROM GOVERNMENT PUBLICATION)