A large number of teachers in government schools are not qualified to teach the revised curriculum of matriculation classes which has forced many students to drop out or switch schools, Pakistan Today has learnt
The government recently converted the entire curriculum in public schools into English to improve the quality of education. However, a large number of teachers who are teaching in old Urdu medium schools are finding it difficult to adjust to the new system.
According to a survey of public schools in the metropolitan, there is a large number of students who dropped out just because their teachers were not qualified to teach the new syllabus. Many students were also forced to change schools.
The government schools offer free education and free textbooks to students. Despite this incentive, parents prefer to send their children to private schools. The enrolment rate at private schools in Lahore is 66 percent while at government schools it is merely 33 percent.
The syllabus was changed from the March 2012 and switched to English. Many students complained about having to adjust to the new system, and said that the teachers were also having the same problems.
A student of Government High School, Township, Hassan Mehmood said that it was very difficult for him to study because he was used to the Urdu medium of instruction. “Now I have to join an academy and take on extra work load because the teachers at my school cannot help me transition into the English medium system of instruction,” he added.
A teacher of Government Pilot School, on the condition of anonymity, told Pakistan Today that the new system was very different from the old one and said that it was damaging for the students who had previously been taught in the old system as they could not adjust.
A parent also expressed his concerns to Pakistan Today, saying that his son, a student of class 9, was facing difficulties adjusting to the new system. He added that his teachers were not helping as they too had the same problem.
Lahore Education DO Shahida Sohail, while speaking to Pakistan Today, said that the government had recently appointed 42,000 with MPhil and masters degrees. She said that the government would also train the old teachers in the new system, adding that it would take some time.
