The Subtle Subversion The State of Curricula and Textbooks in Pakistan Urdu, English, Social Studies and Civics Editors: A. H. Nayyar and Ahmad Salim SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT POLICY INSTITUTE Report of the project “A Civil Society Initiative in Curricula and Textbooks Reform” A project of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute #3, UN Boulevard, Diplomatic Enclave I, Islamabad Mailing Address: PO Box 2342, Islamabad, Pakistan Telephone: ++(92-51) 2278134, 2278136, 2270674-6 Fax:++(92-51) 2278135 URL: www.sdpi.org e-mail:
[email protected] SDPI is an independent, non-profit research institute on sustainable development Printed with support from Liberal Forum Pakistan Partial support from Eqbal Ahmed Foundation is also gratefully acknowledged. Contents Preface i Summary v Recommendations ix Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 Insensitivity to the Religious Diversity of the Nation 9 A. H. Nayyar Chapter 3 Historical Falsehoods and Inaccuracies 63 Ahmad Salim Chapter 4 Omissions That Could Have Been Enriching 73 S. Khurshid Hasanain Chapter 5 Glorification of War and the Military 79 A. H. Nayyar and Ahmad Salim Chapter 6 Class & Gender in School Texts 91 Aamna Mattu and Neelam Hussain Chapter 7 Primary Education:A Critique of the Curriculum 101 Mohammad Pervez Chapter 8 Teaching Human Rights 107 Syed Jaffar Ahmad Short Notes Note 1 Teaching of Urdu, Class 6 to 10 119 Tariq Rahman Note 2 Teaching Social Studies, Class 6 to 10 123 Hajra Ahmad Note 3 Peace Studies: a proposed program of studies in schools 127 Zarina Salmat Note 4 Thoughts on Curriculum Objectives 131 Appendices I: Curriculum Documents Covered 135 II: List of participants in the project 137 PREFACE Part I This report is the result of a study conducted by SDPI with the help of a number of educationists and concerned citizens of the country in the year 2002.