1. EDUCATION FOR PEACE AND
COEXISTENCE IN MULTICULTURAL
SOCIETIES
Dr Tughral Yamin
Associate Dean CIPS
NUST

2. ABSTRACT
• PAKISTAN IS A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY. THE FOUNDING FATHER HAD ENVISIONED
THE NEW STATE TO BE ONE, WHERE ALL CITIZENS IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR
RELIGIOUS PERSUASION AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND WOULD BE TREATED EQUALLY.
THE RACIAL, RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY, IT WAS HOPED WOULD BRING
IN MANY HAPPY DIVIDENDS BUT OVER TIME THIS HAS LED TO POLARISATION AND
FRICTION RESULTING IN DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES.
• THERE ARE SEVERAL PRESCRIPTIONS FOR LESSENING TENSIONS WITHIN THE
SOCIETY. ONE OF THESE IS THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF EDUCATION. EDUCATION
CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING A MORE HARMONIOUS, PEACEFUL AND
TOLERANT SOCIETY. THERE CAN BE MANY FORMULAE FOR A BENIGN EDUCATION
SYSTEM. A SIMPLE THREE STEP STRATEGY BASED ON THE TENETS OF LOVE AND
ACCEPTANCE CAN HELP IN THIS REGARD: ONE, TRAIN TEACHERS TO BE NEUTRAL
AND UNBIASED IN THEIR OPINIONS. TWO, PURGE ALL HATE MATERIAL WITHIN THE
TEXT BOOKS. THREE, DESIGN SYLLABI THAT DISCOURAGE APPROACHES
REINFORCING CLICHÉD RACIAL, SOCIAL OR RELIGIOUS IMAGES OF OTHER CITIZENS
PARTICULARLY THOSE BELONGING TO THE MINORITIES AND ADOPT MEASURES TO
PROMOTE RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL AND SOCIAL HARMONY.
• TO ENSURE THAT THESE PRACTICES ARE IMPLEMENTED, A MECHANISM FOR
CENTRAL CERTIFICATION MAY BE INTRODUCED TO ENSURE THAT EDUCATION AT
ALL THE TIERS I.E. PRIMARY SCHOOL TO PROFESSIONAL COLLEGES FOLLOW
NATIONAL GUIDELINES AND PRINCIPLES ON PEACE AND AMITY IN LETTER AND
SPIRIT.

3. • SINCE THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATION HAS BEEN DEVOLVED TO THE
PROVINCES, IT IS IMPORTANT TO OBTAIN THE CONSENSUS OF ALL
FEDERATING UNITS ON THE SUBJECT. THIS COULD BE DONE IN A
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE PARLIAMENT AND IT CAN ALSO BE
BROUGHT UP FOR DISCUSSION IN THE COUNCIL OF COMMON
INTEREST (CCI).
• A CLEAR CUT ROADMAP GIVING TIMELINES AND BENCHMARKS
NEEDS TO BE AGREED UPON AND ENFORCED BY THE FEDERAL AND
PROVINCIAL MINISTRIES FOR EDUCATION, INFORMATION AND
RELIGIOUS AND INTERFAITH HARMONY AND THE PEACEBUILDING
UNIT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CHANGE.
• ONLY THROUGH A JOINT PLAN OF ACTION CAN A DEEPLY DIVIDED
SOCIETY AND A RADICALISED MINDSET FED ON INFLAMMATORY
HATE LITERATURE AND SPEECHES CAN BE HEALED AND AN
ATMOSPHERE BASED ON LOVE NOT HATE NURTURED AND
CULTIVATED.
ABSTRACT (CONTD.)

4. PAKISTAN IS A DIVERSE SOCIETY

5. THE POPULATION IS YOUNG

6. DEMOGRAPHY IS MULTI EHNIC

7. OVER 2.9M PEOPLE REGISTERED WITH NADRA
BELONG TO SEVEN FAITHS OTHER THAN ISLAM

8. ATTACK ON APS PESHAWAR BROUGHT TO THE
FORE THE FORCES OF HATE, INTOLERANCE &
EVIL WITHIN THE SOCIETY

9. NATIONAL REACTION TO THE
TRAGEDY & POSSIBLE LONG TERM
PLAN
• NATIONAL ACTION
PLAN
– HANG THE TERRORISTS
– MILITARY COURTS
• CHANGE THE
MINDSETS THROUGH
PEACE EDUCATION

10. MAIN ARGUMENTS FOR PEACE
EDUCATION
• 1ST ARGUMENT. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES,
NATIONAL CONSTITUION AND RELIGIOUS EDICTS
PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITIES AND
PROMOTE PEACE WITHIN THE SOCIETY
• 2ND ARGUMENT. EDUCATION CAN BE AN
INSTRUMENT OF PEACE BUT ITS OUTREACH IS
LIMITED TO A FEW
• 3RD ARGUMENT. EDUCTION THROUGH PEACE
MUST HAVE NATIONAL CONSENSUS
• 4TH ARGUMENT. A CLEAR CUT STRATEGY & ROAD
MAP IS NEEDED

11. NATIONAL & RELIGIOUS
GUIDELINES ABOUT
TOLERANCE WITHIN THE
SOCIETY
THE HOLY
PROPHET –
MERCY FOR ALL
MANKIND
(PBUH)’S LAST
SERMON
QUAID I AZAM’S
SPEECH OF
11 AUGUST 1947
THE WHITE COLOR STRIPE IN THE NATIONAL
FLAG REPRESENTS RELIGIOUS MINORITIES
AND MINORITY RELIGIONS

12. QUAID I AZAM 11 AUGUST 1947 ADDRESS TO
1ST CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
• WE SHOULD BEGIN TO WORK IN THAT SPIRIT AND IN COURSE OF TIME ALL THESE ANGULARITIES OF THE
MAJORITY AND MINORITY COMMUNITIES – THE HINDU COMMUNITY AND THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY –
BECAUSE EVEN AS REGARDS MUSLIMS YOU HAVE PATHANS, PUNJABIS, SHIAS, SUNNIS AND SO ON AND
AMONG THE HINDUS YOU HAVE BRAHMINS, VASHNAVAS, KHATRIS, ALSO BENGALESE, MADRASIS AND SO
ON — WILL VANISH. INDEED IF YOU ASK ME THIS HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST HINDRANCE IN THE WAY OF
INDIA TO ATTAIN ITS FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE AND BUT FOR THIS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN FREE
PEOPLES LONG LONG AGO. NO POWER CAN HOLD ANOTHER NATION, AND SPECIALLY A NATION OF 400
MILLIONS SOULS IN SUBJECTION; NO BODY COULD HAVE CONQUERED YOU, AND EVEN IF IT HAD
HAPPENED, NO BODY COULD HAVE CONTINUED ITS HOLD ON YOU FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME BUT FOR
THIS. THEREFORE WE MUST LEARN A LESSON FROM THIS. YOU ARE FREE; YOU ARE FREE TO GO TO YOUR
TEMPLES, YOU ARE FREE TO GO TO YOUR MOSQUES OR TO ANY OTHER PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THIS
STATE OF PAKISTAN. YOU MAY BELONG TO ANY RELIGION OR CASTE OR CREED — THAT HAS NOTHING TO
DO WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE STATE.
• AS YOU KNOW, HISTORY SHOWS THAT IN ENGLAND CONDITIONS SOME TIME AGO WERE MUCH WORSE
THAN THOSE PREVAILING IN INDIA TODAY. THE ROMAN CATHOLICS AND THE PROTESTANTS PERSECUTED
EACH OTHER. EVEN NOW THERE ARE SOME STATES IN EXISTENCE WHERE THERE ARE DISCRIMINATIONS
MADE AND BARS IMPOSED AGAINST A PARTICULAR CLASS. THANK GOD WE ARE NOT STARTING IN THOSE
DAYS. WE ARE STARTING IN THE DAYS WHEN THERE IS NO DISCRIMINATION, NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN
ONE COMMUNITY AND ANOTHER, NO DISCRIMINATION BETWEEN ONE CASTE OR CREED AND ANOTHER.
WE ARE STARTING WITH THIS FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE THAT WE ARE ALL CITIZENS AND EQUAL CITIZENS
OF ONE STATE. THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND IN COURSE OF TIME HAD TO FACE THE REALITIES OF THE
SITUATION AND HAD TO DISCHARGE THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND BURDENS PLACED UPON THEM BY THE
GOVERNMENT OF THEIR COUNTRY AND THEY WENT THROUGH THAT FIRE STEP BY STEP. TODAY YOU
MIGHT SAY WITH JUSTICE THAT ROMAN CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANTS DO NOT EXIST: WHAT EXISTS NOW
IS THAT EVERY MAN IS A CITIZEN, AN EQUAL CITIZEN, OF GREAT BRITAIN AND THEY ARE ALL MEMBERS OF
THE NATION.

13. QUAID’S 11 AUGUST ADDRESS
• NOW, I THINK WE SHOULD KEEP THAT IN FRONT OF US AS OUR IDEAL AND YOU
WILL FIND THAT IN COURSE OF TIME HINDUS WOULD CEASE TO BE HINDUS AND
MUSLIMS WOULD CEASE TO BE MUSLIMS, NOT IN THE RELIGIOUS SENSE, BECAUSE
THAT IS THE PERSONAL FAITH OF EACH INDIVIDUAL, BUT IN THE POLITICAL SENSE
AS CITIZENS OF THE STATE.
• WELL, GENTLEMEN, I DO NOT WISH TO TAKE UP ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME AND
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE HONOUR YOU HAVE DONE TO ME. I SHALL ALWAYS BE
GUIDED BY THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE AND FAIR-PLAY WITHOUT ANY, AS IS PUT
IN THE POLITICAL LANGUAGE, PREJUDICE OR ILL-WILL, IN OTHER WORDS
PARTIALITY OR FAVOURITISM.
• MY GUIDING PRINCIPLE WILL BE JUSTICE AND COMPLETE IMPARTIALITY, AND I AM
SURE THAT WITH YOUR SUPPORT AND CO-OPERATION, I CAN LOOK FORWARD TO
PAKISTAN BECOMING ONE OF THE GREATEST NATIONS OF THE WORLD.
SOURCE: http://www.na.gov.pk/en/content.php?id=74

15. EDUCATION CAN BE AN INSTRUMENT OF PEACE
IN PAKISTAN BUT IT HAS ITS LIMITATIONS
LESS THAN 3 PER CENT
OF BUDGET ALLOCATION
FOR EDUCATION
25 MILLION CHILDREN ARE OUT OF
SCHOOL
MULTIPLE & NON-
COMPLEMENTARY STREAMS
OF EDUCATION
LIMITED FEMALE
EDUCATION
SHORTAGE OF SCHOOLS &
TEACHERS

16. PARANOIA
INTOLERANCE
PREJUIDICES
EXISTING
MIND SET
WHAT IS OUR EXISTING MINDSET?

17. VICTIMS OF HATE CRIME
• WOMEN
• MINORITIES
• PLACES OF WORSHIP
• BURIAL PLACES
• SCHOOLS

18. • RELIGIOUS/
SECTARIAN
• RACE &
GENDER
ELIMINATE
PRECONCEIVED
IMAGES
• ABOUT
RELIGIOUS
MINORITIES
• ABOUT THOSE
OUTSIDE THE
NATIONAL MAIN
STREAM
REJECT
ENTRENCED
NOTIONS &
IDEAS
•WE ARE NOT
BETTER
THAN
OTHERS
•ALL HUMAN
BEINGS ARE
EQUAL
BEFORE
GOD
ADOPT
HUMANITY AS
THE BASIC
PREMISE TO
JUDGE A
PERSON

19. PEACE THROUGH EDUCATION:
PENETRATE THE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF
EDUCATION
THE STUDENT
THE TEACHER
THE
PARENT/MENTOR
THE
ENVIRONMENT

20. OUTREACH OF PEACE EDUCATION
PARENTS
TEACHERS
CHILDREN
• GUIDES
• MENTORS
• PROFESSIONALS
• VOLUNTEERS
• IN SCHOOL
• OUT OF SCHOOL

21. PEACE EDUCATION STRATEGY
TRAIN TEACHERS TO
BE NEUTRAL AND
UNBIASED IN THEIR
OPINIONS
PURGE ALL HATE
MATERIAL WITHIN
TEXT BOOKS & THE
MEDIA
DESIGN SYLLABI
DISCOURAGING
APPROACHES
REINFORCING
CLICHÉD RACIAL,
SOCIAL OR
RELIGIOUS IMAGES
BELONGING TO
MINORITIES &
ADOPT MEASURES
TO PROMOTE
RELIGIOUS,
CULTURAL AND
SOCIAL HARMONY

22. PILLARS OF PEACE EDUCATION
INNOVATION
&
CREATIVITY
LOGIC &
REASONING
SIMPLICITY

23. NON-TRADITIONAL TOOLS OF PEACE
EDUCATION
MESSAGE OF PEACE &
TOLERANCE
POETRY
DRAMA
MUSIC

24. STRINGENT MONITORING
& EVALUATION
CLEAR CUT ROAD MAP
NATIONAL CONSENSUS
MATRIX FOR SUCCESS

29. TEACHERS
Source: Pakistan Education Statistics & Pakistan Education Atlas

30. TEACHER TO PUPIL RATIO
Source: The World Bank

31. GENDER WISE AND AREA WISE
TEACHERS DISTRIBUTION
Source: Pakistan Education Statistics.

32. SHORTAGE & ABSENTEEISM AMONG
TEACHERS
Source: Annual Status of Education Report
• IN PAKISTAN THERE ARE 30 PERCENT PRIMARY GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS THAT HAVE JUST ONE TEACHER PER SCHOOL.
• BALOCHISTAN HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF SUCH SCHOOLS
(ALMOST 60%), CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY SINDH (48%).

36. 60% OF ALL STUDENTS WERE ENROLLED IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
IN 2013.
http://data.org.pk/pages/access @AlifAilaan @SDPIPakistan

37. STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION IN
PAKISTAN

40. PRINCIPLES AND GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF
EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN
EDUCATION AND TRAINING SHOULD ENABLE THE CITIZENS OF PAKISTAN TO LEAD THEIR LIVES
ACCORDING TO THE TEACHINGS OF ISLAM AS LAID DOWN IN THE QURAN AND SUNNAH AND TO
EDUCATE AND TRAIN THEM AS A TRUE PRACTICING MUSLIM. THE NATIONAL AIMS OF EDUCATION AND
THEIR IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY AS OUTLINED IN THE NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 1998–2010 ARE
AS FOLLOWS:
• TO MAKE THE QURANIC PRINCIPLES AND ISLAMIC PRACTICES AN INTEGRAL PART OF CURRICULA SO
THAT THE MESSAGE OF THE HOLY QURAN COULD BE DISSEMINATED IN THE PROCESS OF
EDUCATION AND TRAINING; TO EDUCATE AND TRAIN THE FUTURE GENERATION OF PAKISTAN AS A
TRUE PRACTICING MUSLIM WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO USHER INTO THE NEXT MILLENNIUM WITH
COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, WISDOM AND TOLERANCE.
• TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION BY USING FORMAL AND NON-FORMAL TECHNIQUES
AND TO PROVIDE A SECOND OPPORTUNITY TO SCHOOL DROP-OUTS BY ESTABLISHING BASIC
EDUCATION COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
• TO MEET THE BASIC LEARNING NEEDS OF CHILDREN IN TERMS OF LEARNING TOOLS AND
CONTENTS.
• TO EXPAND BASIC EDUCATION QUALITATIVELY AND QUANTITATIVELY BY PROVIDING THE MAXIMUM
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FREE ACCESS OF EVERY CHILD TO EDUCATION; IMBALANCES AND DISPARITIES
WITHIN THE SYSTEM WILL BE REMOVED TO ENHANCE THE ACCESS WITH INCREASED NUMBER OF
MIDDLE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
• TO ENSURE THAT ALL BOYS AND GIRLS DESIROUS OF ENTERING SECONDARY EDUCATION WILL GET
THIS BASIC RIGHT BECAUSE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF THE SCHOOLS.
• TO LAY EMPHASIS ON DIVERSIFICATION SO AS TO TRANSFORM THE SYSTEM FROM SUPPLY-
ORIENTED TO DEMAND-ORIENTED; TO ATTRACT EDUCATED YOUTH IN THE WORLD OF WORK IS
ONE OF THE POLICY OBJECTIVES SO THAT THEY MAY BECOME PRODUCTIVE AND USEFUL CITIZENS
AND GIVE THEIR POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS AS MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY.

41. • TO MAKE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT A CONTINUOUS PROCESS AND TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS
FOR DEVELOPING A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF EDUCATION.
• TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD OF WORK, AS WELL AS FOR ENTERING PROFESSIONAL
AND SPECIALIZED EDUCATION.
• TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SYSTEM BY INSTITUTIONALIZING IN-SERVICE TRAINING
OF TEACHERS, TEACHER TRAINERS AND EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS; TO UPGRADE THE
QUALITY OF PRE-SERVICE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMMES BY INTRODUCING PARALLEL
PROGRAMMES OF LONGER DURATION AT THE POST-SECONDARY AND POST-DEGREE LEVELS.
• TO DEVELOP A VIABLE FRAMEWORK FOR POLICY, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER
EDUCATION PROGRAMMES, BOTH IN-SERVICE AND PRE-SERVICE.
• TO DEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES FOR TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN THE COUNTRY FOR
PRODUCING TRAINED MANPOWER, COMMENSURATE WITH THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AND
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
• TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION SO AS TO ENHANCE THE CHANCES OF
EMPLOYMENT OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION GRADUATES BY MOVING FROM A
STATIC, SUPPLY-BASED SYSTEM TO A DEMAND-DRIVEN SYSTEM.
• TO POPULARIZE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AMONG CHILDREN IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM FOR
THE NEXT CENTURY, EMPHASIZING THE DIFFERENT ROLES OF COMPUTERS AND EMPLOYING
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE PLANNING AND MONITORING OF EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMMES.
• TO ENCOURAGE THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO ENROL A PERCENTAGE OF POOR STUDENTS GIVING THEM
A POSSIBILITY OF FREE EDUCATION.
• TO INSTITUTIONALIZE THE PROCESS OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION AT THE LOWER AND
HIGHER LEVELS; TO IDENTIFY RELIABLE INDICATORS IN TERMS OF QUALITY AND QUANTITY AND TO
ADOPT CORRECTIVE MEASURES DURING THE PROCESS OF IMPLEMENTATION.
• TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE IN THE DIFFERENT FIELDS OF HIGHER EDUCATION BY INTRODUCING NEW
DISCIPLINES AND EMERGING SCIENCES IN UNIVERSITIES, AND TO CREATE NEW CENTRES OF
ADVANCED STUDIES, RESEARCH AND EXTENSION.
• TO UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF HIGHER EDUCATION BY BRINGING THE TEACHING, LEARNING AND
RESEARCH PROCESSES IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS.

42. CURRENT EDUCATIONAL PRIORITIES
AND CONCERNS
THE NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY (NEP) 1998–2010 REITERATED PAKISTAN’S FIRM RESOLVE AND DETERMINATION TO
INTENSIFY ITS ATTEMPTS TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSALIZATION OF PRIMARY EDUCATION––A NATIONAL GOAL WHICH HAS
BEEN ELUDING THE NATION SO FAR. THE POLICY LAYS DOWN THE FOLLOWING GUIDING PRINCIPLES TO TRANSLATE
INTO LETTER AND SPIRIT THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES RELATING TO THE PROMOTION OF BASIC EDUCATION THEREBY
PAVING THE WAY TO ACHIEVE A GROSS PARTICIPATION RATE OF 105% AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL BY THE YEAR 2010:
• UNIVERSALIZING PRIMARY EDUCATION, ELIMINATING DROP-OUT, AND FULFILLING THE BASIC LEARNING NEEDS BY
THE YEAR 2010.
• RAISING THE LITERACY RATE TO 55% BY THE YEAR 2003, AND TO 70% BY THE YEAR 2010, THROUGH EXTENSIVE
ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMES FOR FUNCTIONAL LITERACY. THE PRIME MINISTER’S LITERACY COMMISSION
(PMLC) WILL PREPARE A PLAN OF ACTION IN CONSULTATION WITH PROVINCES FOR A CO-ORDINATED EFFORT
WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE NATIONAL LITERACY MOVEMENT.
• TACKLING WOMEN’S EDUCATION, AND EDUCATION OF URBAN AND RURAL POOR THROUGH
SPECIAL PROGRAMMES FOR EQUAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND FOR BRINGING THEM WITHIN THE REALM OF
LITERATE AND PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
• IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION BY REASSERTING THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER IN THE TEACHING-
LEARNING PROCESS, BY MODERNIZING CURRICULA AND TEXTBOOKS, BY IMPROVING PHYSICAL FACILITIES, AND BY
INTRODUCING ACTIVITY-ORIENTED NEW SCIENCES AT ALL LEVELS OF SCHOOL EDUCATION.
• INVITING THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ALLOWING
PROGRESSIVE INVESTMENT IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
• GIVING TEACHERS A PROMINENT STATUS IN SOCIETY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME SUBJECTING THEM TO
ACCOUNTABILITY-BASED PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION.
• CREATING AN OVERALL OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK WHICH WOULD ENABLE THE PROVINCES TO ENSURE
EFFECTIVE TRANSLATION OF AGREED POLICIES INTO ACTION, AND IN PARTICULAR IMPROVE DELIVERY SERVICES AT
THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL, THEREBY ATTAINING THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF ENHANCED QUALITY.

43. THE GOALS OF ELEMENTARY
EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN
MAJOR ISSUES AND CHALLENGES OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ACCORDING TO THE
1998 NEP ARE AS FOLLOWS:
• MORE THAN 5.5 MILLION PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN (AGE GROUP 5-9
YEARS) ARE LEFT OUT;
• APPROXIMATELY 45% OF CHILDREN DROP-OUT OF SCHOOL WITHOUT
COMPLETING ELEMENTARY EDUCATION;
• TEACHERS’ ABSENTEEISM IS COMMON IN SCHOOLS ESPECIALLY IN RURAL AREAS;
TEACHERS COMMITMENT AND MOTIVATION IS LACKING;
• INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERVISION IS WEAK AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL;
• ABOUT ONE-FOURTH OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE UNTRAINED AND
THE TRAINING INFRASTRUCTURE DOES NOT APPEAR TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF
INSTRUCTION;
• LEARNING MATERIALS ARE INADEQUATE AND OF POOR QUALITY; TEACHING
METHODS ARE HARSH, THEY DO NOT MOTIVATE PUPILS AND THEY DO
NOT FAVOUR LEARNING;
• ABOVE ALL, CHARACTER BUILDING – WHICH IS THE BASIC AND FUNDAMENTAL
OBJECTIVE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING – IS NEGLECTED, CREATING SERIOUS
PROBLEMS BOTH FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE NATION.