Exploring patterns in teachers’ conceptions of citizenship and political participation: A survey of secondary school teachers in Karachi, Pakistan

This paper examines patterns in teachers’ understanding of conceptual and practical aspects of citizenship by analyzing survey data obtained from 320 teachers of public and private sector secondary schools in Karachi, Pakistan. The survey was conducted using a five-point-Likert scale ranging from ‘strongly disagree through ‘neutral’ to ‘strongly-agree’ and openended questions on citizen participation in politics. The survey questionnaire included 28 items that reflected various aspects of citizen rights and responsibilities. Principal Component Analysis (PCA)) showed several patterns in teacher’s conceptions of citizenship with reference to democratization. The analysis demonstrates that teachers’ conception of citizenship is shaped by confusions and contradictions in terms of their understanding of citizen rights and responsibilities wherein they conceptualized a passive and apolitical role for citizens. Nevertheless, the teachers also express dissatisfaction with quality of people’s participation in politics in the contemporary context of Pakistan. The study offers insights into teachers’ constructions of citizenship and highlight implications for the project of citizenship education in particular and democratization in general in the context of Pakistan

A journey of transformation : A reflective recount of the evolution of AKES,P

This paper presents an overall picture of the evolution of the Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKES,P) over a century. Reaching out to the remotest areas of Pakistan, AKES,P, has been providing quality education for over a hundred years. The first school of AKES,P, was established in 1905 in Gwadar, Balochistan. Over a century later, AKES,P, now operates 179 schools and 5 hostels in Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, Punjab and Sindh, mostly in rural areas. These represent very diverse schools, ranging from a rural school with less than 30 children to a large urban school with over 3000 children. AKES,P, places special emphasis on improving educational practice; leadership and management in diverse and challenging settings; child-centred teaching methods; increasing use of ICT; female education; school-based teacher development; and working in partnership with the government and communities. The paper elucidates the institution’s journey since its inception, under five major themes, which include: Institutional Development, History of Teacher Development, Evolution of Teaching and Learning Practices, Creating a Child Friendly Environment, and Community Development

Naujawan aur intekhab: Vote apne mustaqbil ke liye

https://ecommons.aku.edu/books/1001/thumbnail.jp

Youth in elections: Voting for our future

https://ecommons.aku.edu/books/1003/thumbnail.jp

Exploring patterns in conceptions and enactment of democracy by secondary school teachers in Karachi, Pakistan

The concept of democracy is a set of contestable yet elastic notions about human interaction in a diverse and ever changing socio-political set up. Like many other socio-political concepts democracy has also been used ambiguously by political as well as non-political elements to serve their own vested interest. However, there is a general agreement that the democratic practices of deliberation and participation by the people can be strengthened through education. In this study, I focus on the school as an institution that has been used as an instrument to promote certain ideologies and forms of regimes ranging from democratic ideals and participatory norms to orthodox military and religious ethos. The basic purpose of this study is a critical examination of teachers\u27 conceptualisation of democracy and its enactment in secondary schools in the context of Pakistan. In other words the study attempts to unpack and explain the teachers\u27 theoretical and practical positioning\u27 about democracy and how such positioning is mediated by curriculum directions and pedagogical trends in government and private sector schools. The study involved a multi-method design of data collection and analysis, starting with a survey method and then to deepening understanding by using critical ethnographic methods. For the purpose of the survey a questionnaire was developed using a 5-point-Likert scale ranging from \u27strongly disagree\u27 through \u27neutral\u27 to \u27strongly-agree\u27 along with five open-ended questions. The survey study spread over a period of two months covering 80 secondary schools from government and private sector in the city of Karachi, Pakistan. The overall response rate was 80% as 320 teachers out of targeted 400 completed the questionnaire. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to extract \u27factors\u27, which were interpreted by computing factor loadings, mean score, and standard deviation values. In addition, responses to the open ended questions were analysed using frequency distribution and percentage scores to identify major trends. During the second phase of the study, critical ethnographic methods of semi-structured interviewing, observations, and document analysis were applied to generate data with the participation of four teachers from selected government and private sector schools. The study was completed in three stages; first compiling the primary records for preliminary reconstructive analysis and second a dialogical data generation and reconstruction of theories. At a third stage, results obtained from the survey and the ethnographic interviews and observation were synthesised to elicit findings and conclusions. The study demonstrates that the teachers\u27 conceptualisation of democracy originates from a complex and paradoxical claim of compatibility between conventional democracy and Islamic democracy. The paradox is embedded in the dual interpretation of the notion of \u27political authority\u27 and principles of freedom, participation and equality. The teachers conceptualise a people centred notion of governance and participatory decision-making, however it is contradicted by claiming Shari\u27 ah as the supreme law over all kinds of human-made laws. It is further argued that due to heterogeneity in the interpretation of the Islamic injunctions the notion of Islamic democracy becomes even more complex. The study demonstrates that the teachers\u27 paradoxical conceptualisation, dual interpretation of democracy in the textbooks, authoritarian school structures and culture as well as the larger social, culture, economic and political factors identified by the teachers as hindering democratization shape the classroom discourse and practice in both the government and private sector. Hence, the prevailing discourse and practice reflects authoritarian and exclusion based approaches and interpretations offering less for the promotion of democracy. The study informs that in order to promote democratic principles and procedures the teachers would need to ensure that strengthening of democracy becomes an explicit objective of classroom teaching. In keeping with the objective teaching should promote in addition to knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to democracy and democratic citizenship

Teaching and learning primary school science through the medium of English in Pakistan

It is generally argued that the medium of instruction places constraints on the classroom practices of teachers because students usually do not have sufficient English language proficiency to cope with the learning though the medium of English. Consequently, teachers respond with a teacher-catered approach, which nourishes rote learning and students dependency on the teacher. With reference to the teaching and learning of science, linguistic constraints further hinder the amount of extended discourse, student centered constructivist approach of teaching, and the learning of science. This dissertation reports on the findings of a study conducted in a primary grade science classroom at a private English medium school in the context of Karachi. The purpose of the study was to investigate teachers\u27 strategies to make primary school science content more accessible to the students with limited English proficiency. The study arrives at three major conclusions firstly, the teaching and learning of science through the medium of English in a context, where the medium of instruction is not the first language of the learner, puts the teacher in a complex situation. Secondly, in the course of classroom practice the use of vernacular language along with English as the medium of instruction emerged as an important strategy to facilitate students\u27 learning of scientific content and English language development. Thirdly, the study indicated that there is a need to include language-related issues in science teacher education programmes. In addition, the study argues for the improvement of teachers\u27 professional craft knowledge\u27 through involving them in the process of reflection. Implications of the study together with specific areas recommended for further investigation are presented and discussed