Is it only the syllabus that is creating a disparity in society? Will the Single National Syllabus SNC without improving the standard of textbooks is going to lessen the differences in society? will it bring more children to schools or drop the interest of already enrolled students? The confusion is mounting in parents and schools who are said to adopt SNC forcefully in Punjab and Federal Capital Islamabad. Isn’t it unfair to force the parents to go for government textbooks under SNC who are paying mounting fees to private schools just to obtain quality education for their children?
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Just two days are left when all the private and public schools will
reopen for a new academic session of 2021-22, after a frustrating and long
corona break in Punjab, still the book lists have not been shared with the
students from any of the leading schools like LGS, City school, etc.
The government’s decision to have a Single National Curriculum SNC for
all public, private and religious schools (madrassa) is creating frustration
and confusion among parents in Pakistan whose children are wards of leading
private schools. According to many independent surveys, about 42% of children
attend private schools in Pakistan. These private schools can be categorized as
A, B, and C grades in terms of infrastructure, syllabus, and fee but they share a
big chunk of providing education sector in Pakistan. According to Unicef,
“Pakistan is facing a serious challenge to ensure all children attend, learn and stay at schools. Enrollment and retention rates are improving but
slower. An estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 are out of school in
Pakistan. The level is highest in Balochistan and Sindh. Girls are the large percentage who doesn’t see
schools,” Government should compel, advertise and educate the parents to send their
children to schools instead of worrying the parents who are already maintaining
it.
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The government's idea behind SNC of “all children have a fair and equal opportunity to receive high-quality education” may show its commitment towards a low-income class in society but taking down one’s level tagging it as an equal opportunity doesn’t seem fair. It seems fascinating that the child of Aitchison paying 45,000 PKR a month and a student of free Public school studies the same syllabus but will it improve the competence of public school students or drop the strength of Aitchison students is still a debate.
Here leading private school administration is assuring the parents that they will use SNC just as a reference and their syllabus will maintain the standards. How? Keep on reading the article.
Instead of competing
with the quality standards of leading syllabuses in Pakistan in an independent manner, it is forcing the
schools and parents to leave their yearning for quality education that they are
ready to get for their kids even on high charges.
‘Why a large number of parents shifted their children to private
school? Why private schools grew and flourished like mushrooms in Pakistan
within few years? Was it teachers, school buildings or fees___ No, it was only
uninteresting, and unproductive books that forced the parents to take their
children out of free and big infrastructures towards home-based expensive
schools? Anyone can just compare the OUP Mathematics and Science books with the
government books in terms of explanation of concepts, learning outcomes, practicable
and creative exercises. English books from private publishers are not only
chapter-based but equipped with interesting and latest terms and concepts. The
concepts that are taught in grade 8 are taught in grade 3 of leading publisher’s
books. The government can’t overlook the ample societal differences and
approach of parents by forcing SNC syllabus for their children. Parents don’t doubt about the government’s intentions for an “equal education opportunity” but
what about “quality of education”, many of them are just amazed. The SNC books are in the market. There are many concerns raised from parents and teachers about the content.
However, Punjab education minister Murad Raas has assured in his video message that SNC books are up-to-mark and a training session for private and government teachers is being conducted.
Single National Curriculum will be implemented from Grade 1-5 for subjects includes Islamiat, Urdu, English, Mathematics, Social studies, and General Science in the academic year of 2021-22.
There are books of four subjects: Urdu, Islamiat, English, Mathematics, and General Knowledge (Waqfiat e aama) from grade 1-grade 3. The books of General Science and Mashrti a loom(social studies) will be taught in grade 4 and grade 5. The books of Social Studies, Islamiat, and General Knowledge will be taught in Urdu. The Mathematics and General Science books are in English that will be taught under SNC. The SNC books have been published under Punjab Curriculum Textbook Board PCTBB. The books are illustrated with colorful pictures and new exercises. The content is selected to associate and inculcate the love for the country, society, and religion.
The draft of SNC books from Grade VI-VIII is ready to be implementation for next academic year.
The SNC books are available in markets as well as they can be downloaded from the official PCTBB Website for free. The confusion here mounted when privately published book houses are not distributing new editions of books for grade 6- grade 8 and waiting for the final decision by the government.
Punjab education minister tweeted about it:
Let's give you an idea that what is parents' stance about SNC and what private schools are planning to maintain their significance.
“My kid's study in Garrison school where most of the books are from Paramount
Publishers and Oxford University Press OUP. The school shared the book list for class 7 and class 1, and we visited a leading Paramount Book Shop in Gulberg, Lahore to purchase the
books. The seller told that no new edition of paramount syllabus books have
been sent to stores. He also advised us not to buy books for there is confusion
about Single National Curriculum. We postponed our plan to visit the OUP book
store. On inquiring the school, there was silence on the topic even for grade 7. It seems that
school administration, teachers are equally confused and stressed like parents,’
Mrs. Shama told.
‘My daughter study in a renowned Overseas English medium school in F-8,
Islamabad. The school started its new session in May 2021. They told us to buy
Punjab textbook board books as per SNC but they’re teaching from PDFs and
worksheets now. We’re bound to print out the shared PDFs to continue with the
syllabus of school but I’m happy that they’re not fully adapting SNC as it is forced
on masses. It's ok with Islamiat and Urdu but the standard of English and General Science book is not up to mark in SNC. I hardly bear the high fee of school to attain quality education
for my daughter. I’m looking forward to choosing the Cambridge O level exam for her. I’m stressed when you compare the level of Science of SNC
syllabus and books from OUP that how our kids will be able to compete in every
second changing world after studying from these rata style books,’ another
parent from Islamabad showed concerned.
‘First government should improve the quality and standard of textbooks
then it should implement the idea one after one textbook,’ one parent
suggested.
It is a fact that there are drawbacks to different syllabuses in Pakistan. Thousands of private schools in Pakistan are teaching hundreds of different syllabuses in their schools. Every school chooses its publisher, syllabus, and style to maintain its individuality (apparently) which is ultimately taken out from parents’ pockets in terms of high charges. Many schools force parents to buy books from their proposed publishers and proposed book shops that is a big complaint of parents from private schools. These problems should be addressed and also be solved. At sides, many parents are praising the decision:
the Once there was a time when
the students studied from “tat schools” reached higher social positions and
now the learners of public schools are mostly seen at B-class jobs. There is a need for improvement before government forces the masses to adopt a single national syllabus.
The SNC Syllabus is in effect from March 2021. It’ll be implemented in three phases. From March 2021, it’ll be implemented from grades 1-5. The following year 2022-23, it’ll expand to classes 6-8 and then from 9-12. Interestingly, almost all public and private schools already teach government syllabus from grade 9-12 but the real challenge is a syllabus shift from grade 1-8 in Pakistan where most schools go for Oxford-based syllabus because of conceptually based topics and analytical approaches in books. The students who had studied from these books achieve high grades when they join the mainstream in class 9 for the board exams.
Where to Buy SNC books?
To date, Punjab has opted for SNC and all syllabus books are available online on the PCTB website. The books can be downloaded as well as read digitally from the website. The prices of books are very affordable and all books are illustrated with colored pictures and new exercises.
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Punjab textbook board books VS Privately published books