Teachers in Pakistan, especially government school teachers, are often blamed for virtually everything that is wrong with the country’s education system. In fact we know very little about ordinary Pakistani teachers, the challenges they face and the support they need to do their jobs properly. A new study launched today by the education campaign Alif Ailaan aims to change that. The Voice of Teachers, a groundbreaking study of Pakistani teachers, talks to the men and women who are charged with the task of educating this country’s children, often under the most difficult circumstances. Conducted by the Society for the Advancement of Education (SAHE), in partnership with Alif Ailaan,the study is based on an extensive survey of more than 1,250 teachers and head teachers in government and private schools across the country. “Teachers have a central role to play in efforts to reform the country’s system of education,” said Abbas Rashid, Executive Director of SAHE and one of the co-authors of the study. “Our survey is an attempt to find out what teachers think about the problems plaguing the education sector and, importantly, about their role in providing quality education to Pakistan’s children.” The survey interviewed 1,264 teachers (823 teachers and 441 head teachers) from 634 government and private schools in 15 districts, covering urban and rural areas in all four provinces. Its findings challenge many of the myths surrounding Pakistan’s teaching workforce.
Very encouraging. Unless public education in Pakistan is improved the Madrassahs will always hold sway and, together with Madrassahs in India and Bangladesh, they will produce millions and millions of semi-literate nitwits for future generation of subcontinental Muslims.
Comments are closed.