Of PTI led coalition government and Education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Several print media outlets reported on the working groups formed to reform the educational sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by the PTI led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The News reports:

The provincial working group for reforms in education sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has formed five sub-groups, which would submit recommendations and line of action within one month. The groups consisted of officials of education department, educationists, World Bank, GIZ and experts from other organizations. The first group would work on curriculum, textbooks and teachers’ training, and the second group would look after governance, third would have focus on access and equality, fourth on adult education, skill development and fifth on the role of private sector. The groups were formed in the first meeting of the provincial working group with Education Minister Mohammad Atif in the chair. The meeting was attended by secretary education Joudat Ayaz, director education Mohammad Rafiq Khattak, representatives of different organisations and members of the group. Briefing media persons after the meeting, the education minister said that education policy already existed. He said the working groups would give recommendation and the action plan would be given the shape of a report within one month and presented for before the coalition partners for consultation.[1]

While the Daily Dawn reports:

Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Mohammad Atif will head the group, while E&SE secretary will be its member/secretary. Other members of the group on education include ex-chief secretary Abdullah, Elementary Education Foundation MD Ghazala H Saifi, Rayed Afzal, Zulfiqar Ahmad, Umbreen Arif, Dr Rukhsana Zia, Dr Arif Nazir Butt, Prof Mohammad Memon and Musarrat Qadeem.[2]

Looking at the mandate that “the first group would work on curriculum, textbooks and teachers’ training, and the second group would look after governance, third would have focus on access and equality, fourth on adult education, skill development and fifth on the role of private sector”, and at the composition of the groups, one is tempted to raise a few seemingly pertinent points.

First, all the sectors of educational reforms mentioned above pertain to policy issues, then what was the need to form groups when “education policy already existed”? Is this only proving the point that PTI led coalition government was well-prepared to govern the province? I think the otherwise. The “education policy already existed” statement perhaps refers to the elections manifestos presented by PTI and JI to the masses in May 2013 elections . It is hence pertinent to quote salient features of JI and PTI’s policy of education described in their manifestos. The PTI website summarizes education policy as:

To end discrimination in the field of education and give all our children a level playing field, PTI will bring in place ONE education system for all. Education spending will be increased from 2% to 5% of GDP in 5 years. A fully detailed education policy has been charted out to completely restructure education which we will build up to eventually being free right up to University level. Girls’ education is a central focus of our education policy with the aim to double Girls High Schools in 5 years.[3]

Leaving alone the budgetary allocations in which the PTI led provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa miserably failed to fulfill its  promise, let’s try to understand the “ONE education system for all” which has been perhaps described by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa eloquently:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khan Khattak Tuesday said that the government would introduce uniform syllabus from the next academic year. Speaking as a chief guest at the award distribution ceremony at a school here, he said that the curriculum of the Aitchison would be introduced at all the state-run schools.[4]

To understand Aitchison College, I quote a brief paragraph from its website:

Aitchison College is one such place which its existence to people whose knowledge and vision 125 years ago, even today reverberates strongly. The College was originally named as Punjab Chiefs College on 2^ndJanuary 1886 and was renamed as Aitchison College on 13^th November 1886 to honour the services of Sir Charles Umpherston Aitchison, the Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab through whose efforts the College was established.[5]

Keeping in view that the stated policy of the PTI, in all probability, would necessitate that medium of instruction be English and there will be an effort that madrassas, public schools, private schools, garrison schools and federal government schools adopt a liberal curriculum with the denial to give space to indigenous languages and diverse cultures. Apart from being too imaginative, this effort might face severe resistance from all interest groups of civil society and bureaucracy. This effort shall also marginalize cultural and linguistic minorities a little more.

The Jamati Islam (JI) declares about education in its election manifesto:

A uniform education system in harmony with the Islamic teachings would be devised for the whole country to end class split and to forge national unity. Urdu would be adopted as medium of instruction and regional languages would be developed. Hundred per cent literacy would be achieved within only five years. Students Unions would be restored. [6]

While in its Defense Policy JI declares:

Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan has said in its Electoral Manifesto for election 2013 that If it came into power, It will make arrangements for compulsory military civil defense training for all citizens, men and women, between ages of 18 and 35…The JI also declares that “nation and military would also be infused with the passion of Jihad’ (Trans from Urdu).[7]

Keeping in view that Mr. Abdullah (Ex-Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), the well known JI ideologue, is on the working group on education; let’s keep our fingers crossed whether homogenization of ‘passionate jihad’ wins or liberal homogenization wins.

Second, in both paradigms of liberal homogenization and religious homogenization, higher education has been completely ceded to the Centre (no working group is formed or portfolio is announced for Higher Education). If this is conscious, then it is the first step towards reversal of the 18^th Constitutional Amendment passed with consensus in April 2010[8] in which higher education has been specifically mentioned to be devolved to the provinces with the assurance of the autonomy of universities as seats of higher learning.

Talk of the town is that Director Pakistan Study Centre University of Peshawar, who has remained Naazim-e-Aala of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba, the students’ wing of JI, is being deputed to the Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board. While Mr. Abdullah on the Curriculum and Prof. Fakhr-ul-Islam on the Textbook Board, what will be the shape of education in the coming five years in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa? Perhaps homogenization, segregation, jihadization, isolation from both indigenous history and modern human civilization is the ultimate objective. Where does QWP stand?

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[1] See http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-190504-Sub-groups-to-submit-recommendations-within-one-month

[2] See http://beta.dawn.com/news/1021671/working-groups-to-reform-kp-depts

[3] See http://www.insaf.pk/Media/InsafBlog/tabid/168/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15815/Summary-of-PTIs-Manifesto-By-SMT.aspx

[4] See http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-188980-Uniform-syllabus-from-next-year-says-Khattak

[5] See http://www.aitchison.edu.pk/view.php?i=47

[6] See http://x.dawn.com/2013/04/15/ji-unveils-29-point-election-manifesto/

[7] See http://www.forum.jamaat.org/forum/jamaat-e-islami-pakistan/elections-2013/309-ji-manifesto-compulsory-civil-defence-training-for-18-35-years-age

[8] See http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=100264&Itemid=1