Introduction
Any country’s prosperity and development are dependent on the quality of its educational system. A country that lowers its educational standards will never be able to stay up with the modern world’s rapid advancement. Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, has issued a categorical warning to the fledgling nation about the value of education, saying:
“Education is a matter of life and death to our nation. The world is moving so fast that if we do not educate ourselves, we will not only be left behind but also be no more.”
Education is regarded as an essential component of nation-building. Certain educational functions, such as curriculum, syllabus, planning, policy, and educational standards, are responsibilities in order to ensure national cohesion, integration, and preservation of the state’s ideological foundation.
Single National Curriculum (SNC)
The current government has set out to restructure Pakistan’s educational system in order to get the country back on track. Prime Minister Imran Khan has correctly stated that Pakistan’s weak education system is the underlying cause of all socioeconomic difficulties. The PTI government has introduced the Single National Curriculum (SNC) to overhaul the educational system, which would be applied across the country. All existing tiers of education in Pakistan will be mainstreamed in the uniform curriculum once it is implemented, and persons from all socioeconomic strata will be able to get a uniform education. In the new educational system, madrassahs will be included. In madrassahs, all modern courses will be taught, and their students will sit for board exams. Around 35,000 seminaries will be registered as schools, according to the curriculum development team (Ministry of Federal Education and Training, 2020).
Objectives of the ‘Single National Curriculum’
The ‘Single National Curriculum’ aims and objectives, according to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, are to ensure that all children in Pakistan have equal chances for high-quality education and upward social mobility (Ministry of Federal Education and Training, 2020). As a result, social cohesiveness and national unity will be ensured. In Pakistan, tolerance for diversity will be attained by instilling respect for diverse cultures and religions in students. The emphasis would be placed on teaching critical and creative thinking rather than the culture of rote memorizing. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) would be taught to students. The standard curriculum will ensure that everyone is on an equal footing. In short, the PTI government has set out to achieve ambitious goals in order to eliminate Pakistan’s class-based society, which will, in turn, eliminate the threat of economic disparities in the long run (Sheikh, 2020).
Analysis of the Impact of SNC Curriculum
One of the most significant benefits of having a unified national curriculum is the promotion of social equality. When fully implemented, all children will have an equal and fair chance of receiving a good education (Robert, 2020). At all levels, there will be social cohesion, resulting in national integration. Inequality and social class disparities would be reduced, resulting in equitable opportunities for upward social mobility for all.
Because no two schools are alike, one of the biggest drawbacks of a uniform national curriculum is its lack of flexibility. It can be overly prescriptive and function as a constraint on change. This one national curriculum may limit curriculum design innovation. Both of the aforementioned drawbacks may have an impact on teacher autonomy, resulting in less professional independence and judgement. However, the government has only specified the outline of the chapters that must be included in the curriculum; if schools believe they need to incorporate more, they are free to do so.
Conclusion
To sum up the subject, there are both benefits and drawbacks to implementing a single national curriculum, and it all depends on how it is handled properly so that the adopted system may provide even more benefits. It should not be implemented hastily and should be thoroughly considered. The government’s introduction of the “Single National Curriculum” is a positive move. It will prove to be a solution for many socio-economic problems in a society like Pakistan.
Bibliography
Ministry of Federal Education and Training. (2020). Single National Curriculum (SNC). Government of Pakistan. Retrieved from http://www.mofept.gov.pk/ProjectDetail/MzkyNDc2MjMtY2VjYy00ZDA4LTk5OTUtNzUyNDI3ZWMzN2Rm
Robert, D. (2020). Pros and Cons of Standards and National Curriculums. Retrieved from http://www.homeofbob.com/pedagogy/plan/curDev/proConsStandsNatCur.htm
Sheikh, N. A. (2020). Single National Curriculum: where do we stand? Pakistan and Gulf Economist. Retrieved from https://www.pakistangulfeconomist.com/2020/11/30/single-national-curriculum-snc-where-do-we-stand/
Research Questions
What is the Single National Curriculum, and what does it entail?
What are the objectives of the ‘Single National Curriculum’?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of putting SNC into practice?[/fancy_box][fancy_box box_style=”color_box_basic” icon_family=”fontawesome” image_url=”8182″ box_color_opacity=”1″ box_alignment=”left” border_radius=”default” image_loading=”default” icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-envelope-open” icon_size=”60″]
Key Takeaways
The PTI government has introduced the Single National Curriculum (SNC) to overhaul the educational system, which would be applied across the country.
In madrassahs, all modern courses will be taught, and their students will sit for board exams. Around 35,000 seminaries will be registered as schools, according to the curriculum development team (Ministry of Federal Education and Training, 2020).
The standard curriculum will ensure that everyone is on an equal footing. In short, the PTI government has set out to achieve ambitious goals in order to eliminate Pakistan’s class-based society, which will, in turn, eliminate the threat of economic disparities in the long run (Sheikh, 2020).
One of the most significant benefits of having a unified national curriculum is the promotion of social equality. When fully implemented, all children will have an equal and fair chance at receiving a good education (Robert, 2020).
Because no two schools are alike, one of the biggest drawbacks of a uniform national curriculum is its lack of flexibility. It can be overly prescriptive and function as a constraint on change.
The government’s introduction of the “Single National Curriculum” is a positive move. It will prove to be a solution for many socio-economic problems in a society like Pakistan.[/fancy_box]
Comments (1)
SHARE A research Paper on Effect of SNC at govt and private school in pakitan