shehnaz gul

Issues faced by Pakistan in Teacher Education

Preamble:

The sole aim of this paper is to shed some light on the marred condition of teacher education in Pakistan. In addition, this paper mainly targets Teachers’ Education problem in Pakistan and present some recommendation for the antediluvian and persistent issue to improve its condition.  Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students (NPEC, 2006).  The main focal point of this study paper would be the marginalized sector of teachers’ education and keeping in view the condition of institution where teachers’ education is being imparted and transmitted in teachers’ education. The considerable finds revealed that not only venomous political interruption, but also teachers’ involvement in political affairs, antediluvian curriculum, lack of state of art teaching method for the teachers, paucity of service structure, inadequacy of modern technology, scarcity of trained teachers, old method of teaching practices, less consumption of GNP pc on education, less interest of innovative mind on the part of teachers as well. Additionally the policy makers have turned a blind eye in pre-service teaching sector completely. 

Introduction

It goes without saying the role of a teacher is pivotal in our society. A teacher is considered building block and nucleus of a society, culture and a nation. Likewise, a teacher is developer, nurturer, personality builder, nourishing source and skill polisher of learners and students. In the same token teachers are needed for the guidance and counseling, imparting of knowledge and for providing a path-oriented career to students for pragmatic and practical life. Equally important our religion has given unique position to teacher; the profession is regarded sacred and revered. The Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) stressed that it is a part of Prophet Hood.  It is a well-known fact that “Even a diamond is a piece of coal without the person who carves it.” Coupled with, a diamond hold a value but without piercing and polishing it.  Here are some important quotes manifesting and reflecting the importance of a teacher.  “A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and install a love of learning” (Barone & Eisner 1977). “Good teachers know how to bring out the best in students”.  “What nobler employment, or more valuable to the state, than that of the man who instructs the rising generation” (Adithan, 2014). 

Teacher Education:

Teacher education is type of education designed for teachers for their skill development, social behavior toward students and community, improvement of attitudes, preparation of teachers including rules, regulations, and policies and designed modus operandi properly developed by institutions and states. According to Urevbu, (2017) “teacher education addresses environmental, social, and economic contexts to create locally relevant and culturally appropriate teacher education programmes for both pre-service and in-service teachers.”  There are four basic components of teacher education which are widely accepted and practice in the world on daily basis. Frist, to foster educational prospect of educators.  Second, boost their learning about the subject. Third, pedagogy and consideration of learner and learning.  Fourth final enhancement of dexterity and expertise. Day, (2002) perceived teacher education a process or procedure of transmission of skills, inculcation of knowledge and subject matter to teachers that is imperative for students and society. Teacher education as “All formal and informal activities and experience that help to qualify a person to assume the responsibility as member of the educational profession are to discharge his responsibility more effectively.”

National Education policy in Pakistan is the sole document in Pakistan that provide guidelines and policy for the educationist, policy makers, executives, government and other concerned people. National Education Policy 2017-2025 is focusing on Article 25A: “Right to education.—The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law” (Pakistan Constitution , 1973). Teacher education is discussed detailed in NEP 2017 as Chapter 8.  

To begin with education according to international standards it is paramount to implement and hire teacher with pedagogical skills and training. It shall be mandatory B.Ed (Hons) equivalent B.A/B.Sc, B.Ed shall be required for teaching in primary and elementary classes. Similarly, for secondary classes B.Ed(Hons) with 16-year of education is required. Required in less developed areas may reduce to facilitate them. For financial and well-being of teacher financial support, the provision of monetary support to them. In similar, the government and executive will bring forth good quality and betterment by fostering quality by implementing. The government and policy makers will develop for different teaching sector with that services, structures and upgradations will be based on performance assessment and evaluation of teachers. To add, the incumbent policy of education for teachers and trainers destined to establish institution for teacher’s education in order to keep them equipped them with start of art knowledge. In the same token education, for the time being, education is now in provincial domain and it lies in the ambit of provinces. Hence, letter and spirit implementation of NEP 2017 will eradicate Teacher Education problems in Pakistan.

Issues faced by Pakistan in Teacher Education:

It goes without saying that Pakistan is facing numbers of issues in education and it ranked 147 out of 200 on Educational Index (Eleagu, 2018). One can’t cast aside Teachers’ education in Pakistan married with several issues e.g. out-mode curriculum, dearth of modern technology, nepotism, favoritism, political interruption, lack of pre-service and in-service professional development and et al. following challenges are going to be discussed in this term paper.

Outdated Curriculum:

We cannot shun the fact that the subject matter or curriculum for teacher education is not being frequently used in the world for teacher learners and professional development of the teachers. it is observed and not that the content of teachers’ education is not developed since inception. The designed curriculum is theoretical rather than pragmatic which is not based on scientific lines. To Add, the curriculum in Pakistan is outdated and not being used in the world. The curriculum is based on old method of memorization. Teacher Education underscore on memorization through transfer of lecturer method, dictating and theory based which has a minimum impact (Slavich & Zimbardo, 2012)

Lack of Trained and Teacher training institution:

The need of trained and skilled teacher educators is growing day by day but the number of skilled with state of art knowledge teacher educators is less. It is stated that around 43pc of teachers are not formally trained. There are 1.4 million teachers working in both sectors out of which 58% are untrained and rest are partially trained with old curriculum of B.Ed . To add, for 1.4 million teachers only 275 teachers training institutions are available (Oakes, Lipton & Anderson, 2015). It can’t be denied that there are many bottlenecks in training and professional development. The number of teacher training institutions in Pakistan is 213 which is insufficient for large number of 207,774520 population of Pakistan (Wikipedia, 2017). According to Pakistan National Statistics (2018) there is 99pc of teacher training institutions in Pakistan is in public sector and 1pc in private sector. The teachers in the teachers training institutions 3,459 (92%) are in public and 294 (8%) are in private sector.

Deficiency of Monetary Allocation:

One of bottleneck of education of teachers in Pakistan is minimum monetary allocation in budget. According to statistic of 2018-19 paucity of 2.1 pc of GNP is allocated for education and only 0.015pc is for teachers’ education and it creates shortage of infrastructure, building, trainee, laboratory, scientific and equipment (Hakro, 2007). These data reveal a very little amount of budget is being spend on teacher education in Pakistan which does not par with international allocations. 

Stereotype Teachers:

It a natural phenomenon that teachers are rigid and resistant to accept changes that are happening in the world. In other words, the same adverse effect is being observed in the context of our teachers, the teachers are not willing to accept state of art changes. They ignore state of art knowledge and stuck to their old and ante type of subject matter.

Political Interference:

Political domination and leverage is not a new reality. Since inception and birth of the dear homeland especially educational setup is experiencing sheer interruption from politicians, pressure groups and mafia. The involvement, in these cases, is deteriorating the teacher education in general and education in particular.  Similarly, politicians have their own designs to attain and fulfill by teachers. In addition, nepotism is another factor which can’t be cast aside as well.

Lack of National Policy Implementation:

As a matter of fact, that the National Policy for teacher’s education is merely drafted which is not implemented. By the same fashion, implementation and execution is a distant hope since independence.  In like manner, the policy is well written and affluent in words but lack reality and truth when it comes to application of the policy on ground. So, lame duck attitude of red tapes is one of the hindrance of policy implementation.

Lack of Teacher Training Institutions:

One of the giant challenge is dearth of teacher training setup in the country, which is further aggravating the challenge of teacher training in the country. The below chart depicts the early condition of teacher training in the inadequate for both pre-and-in-service teachers training. So, due to population explosion and number of teacher and the gap between supply of teachers and demand of teacher training institution, the Gov. of Pakistan lacked behind to maintain an equilibrium.

Lack of innovative work:

Recent reports of the international organizations reveal and finger of blame raised towards Pakistani system of teacher’s education which lacks research and innovative work in the particular field of teacher’s education. By the same token outdated methods of teaching are being applied in inculcation of training to the teachers. Moreover, subject matter and methodology are not being used frequently.

Issues of in-service Programme:

Due to paucity and dearth of resource and inappropriate monitoring of in-service programmes of teacher education in Pakistan. By the same fashion aids which are need of the hour for teacher training are not in hand for the dissemination of instructions at the training places. Similarly, master trainers are less trained or not trained. Hence, the curriculum designed for the trainers is not being frequently used in the world which is disadvantage in this regard. It is also reported that female teachers are unwilling to participate in teacher training programmes due to their social and patriarchal boundaries (Unterhatler 2005).

Teachers in Clutches of Politicians:

This phenomenon is observed in the country that the teachers are in ugly clutches of the politicians. When the question raised how they are in clutch, teachers are in chains of political elite on account of they have their own design to be fulfilled by using them in ragging of elections, gaining political support from them. A teacher educator is an icon in the society and politicians know it very well how cash their position in the political campaigning and gaining political sympathy and empathy from the public. Coupled with, this negative impact of political cultch cannot be ignored (Gujjar, 2010).

Lack of State-of-Art Teaching Practice:

Modern and advance teaching practices replication holds a paramount role in the development of teachers in context of teacher education. In enhancement of teachers skills and professional development of teacher’s contemporary teaching practices are required. Albeit, teaching practices are based on outdated subject matter which can hardly fulfill the needs of educators in Pakistan.

Dearth of Professionalism:

The lack of professionalism is well depicted in institution and learning places. Knowledge which is transmitted to educators involved in teacher education lacked professionalism and pragmatism. Additionally, there a huge paucity of professionalism and the importance of professionalism is rigorously ignored in teacher education due as per its requirements. Though, professionalism is eclipsed by rote subject matter and memorization which lacks practice and implementation.  Hence, the status of teacher in Pakistan is diminished in Pakistan so majority in T.E are not by their first choice so quality is always beneath then other fields like Medical or engineering (Arooj, 2012).

Discussion and conclusion

It is quite evident from given above discussion that field of teacher education is facing a lot of issues. Equally important, teacher education in Pakistan has encountered plethora of challenges since independence. The dilemma on stubbornness of the part of teacher educators in general and government in particular cast a leg to education of teachers. By the same token, in-service and pre-service confronting several problems. This is diminishing the effectiveness and strength of related field. In the same manner, teacher educators are cautious to accept any reasonable modification in curriculum. They are stuck to old curriculum and teaching method of past. Also, important nepotism and favoritism in this field also have had marred the education at a large scale.  Criteria of induction into programs is below average. Aptitude or entry test are poorly conducted or teachers are inducted in such programs either on the basis of political affiliations or teacher unions cherry picking. One of the issues is teacher educators are also in clutches of politicians and pressure groups. So, this decreases their efficiency and productivity. Likewise, old curriculum and teaching methods has impeded professionalism. Curriculum and subject matter are ignored since inception. This halts progress in teacher education as well as teacher’s effectiveness. Equally, the curriculum for teachers has not been par with international standards and it has been in isolation. Also, state of art teaching methods and teaching practices lacked. Hence, there are plethora of teacher education challenges which are not mentioned in this paper.

Recommendations:

  • Teachers should be emancipated and liberated from the clutches of politicians. This is need of the hour to de-politicized teacher education in the country.
  • Institutions both public and private sector can bring state-of-art teaching methods and practices to foster the condition.
  • Subject matter and content for teacher education can be improve by bring pragmatism and rationality in it. Similarly, theoretical curriculum can be minimized.
  • In order to cope with the conundrum of teachers’ education a modern and holistic program can be initiated on national level.
  •   Fruitful in-service programs can only be achieved by exploration and inquiry into challenges of in-service and offering those solutions to them based on findings and researches.
  • Budgetary allocation for teachers training can be reserved for the enhancement of the condition of teacher’s education.
  •  Nepotism, favoritism and biasness can be eliminated by promoting meritocracy.
  • Subject matter and curriculum for educator can associated with real time and pragmatic learning according to needs of the students and learners.
  • There are several discrepancies in curriculum of teachers’ education among provinces. A uniformed and coherent curriculum can be formed for all.
  • The lack of professionalism and use of outdated method for teacher training can be eradicated by promoting modern techniques.

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